Kinematics of Cool Clouds in Realistic Galaxy Winds
Abstract
Observations of starburst galaxy winds have detected neutral gas clouds outflowing at speeds on the order of 100 km/s. Given the difficulties in determining velocities accurately using x-ray observations, these clouds have the potential to be extremely useful as tracers in determining the velocity of the hot gas winds using optical measurements. However, the velocity profiles of clouds in a pressure-driven wind are not well understood. Furthermore, forces such as ram pressure and radiation pressure act to destroy the gas clouds, potentially reducing the usefulness of the clouds as tracers.
Using realistic kinematic profiles produced from a high temperature, pressure-driven galactic-wind model, we calculate the kinematics of cool clouds within the winds due to ram pressure. We also calculate the effects of radiation pressure on the clouds and mass loss due to the interaction of the clouds within the wind. In particular, we apply our model to cool gas clouds in M82 and vary the initial conditions of mass, volume, and injection height of the gas clouds to understand the conditions under which clouds are successfully launched and accelerated. This project was supported by the National Science Foundation grant AST-1109218.- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #220
- Pub Date:
- May 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AAS...22043402C