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A scaling relation for the molecular cloud lifetime in Milky Way-like galaxies

We study the time evolution of molecular clouds across three Milky Way-like isolated disc galaxy simulations at a temporal resolution of 1 Myr and at a range of spatial resolutions spanning two orders of magnitude in spatial scale from similar to 10 pc up to similar to 1 kpc. The cloud evolution net...

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Main Authors: Jeffreson, Sarah (Author) , Keller, Benjamin W. (Author) , Winter, Andrew J. (Author) , Chevance, Mélanie (Author) , Kruijssen, Diederik (Author) , Krumholz, Mark R. (Author) , Fujimoto, Yusuke (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: 7 May 2021
In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Year: 2021, Volume: 505, Issue: 2, Pages: 1678-1698
ISSN:1365-2966
DOI:10.1093/mnras/stab1293
Online Access:Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab1293
Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=DynamicDOIArticle&SrcApp=WOS&KeyAID=10.1093%2Fmnras%2Fstab1293&DestApp=DOI&SrcAppSID=F4YMMc9jPB5f9dX7ixC&SrcJTitle=MONTHLY+NOTICES+OF+THE+ROYAL+ASTRONOMICAL+SOCIETY&DestDOIRegistrantName=Oxford+University+Press
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Author Notes:Sarah M.R. Jeffreson, Benjamin W. Keller, Andrew J. Winter, Mélanie Chevance, J.M. Diederik Kruijssen, Mark R. Krumholz and Yusuke Fujimoto
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Summary:We study the time evolution of molecular clouds across three Milky Way-like isolated disc galaxy simulations at a temporal resolution of 1 Myr and at a range of spatial resolutions spanning two orders of magnitude in spatial scale from similar to 10 pc up to similar to 1 kpc. The cloud evolution networks generated at the highest spatial resolution contain a cumulative total of similar to 80000 separate molecular clouds in different galactic-dynamical environments. We find that clouds undergo mergers at a rate proportional to the crossing time between their centroids, but that their physical properties are largely insensitive to these interactions. Below the gas-disc scale height, the cloud lifetime tau(life) obeys a scaling relation of the form tau(life)proportional to l(-0.3) with the cloud size l, consistent with over-densities that collapse, form stars, and are dispersed by stellar feedback. Above the disc scale height, these self-gravitating regions are no longer resolved, so the scaling relation flattens to a constant value of similar to 13 Myr, consistent with the turbulent crossing time of the gas disc, as observed in nearby disc galaxies.
Item Description:Gesehen am 08.09.2021
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1365-2966
DOI:10.1093/mnras/stab1293

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