Interaction of the galactic wind with a cloudy environment and properties of elliptical galaxies

The hydrodynamics of the interaction between the galactic wind and a surrounding cloudy medium is investigated using the one-dimensional finite-difference scheme. The wind is due to supernovae assumed to have the same properties for all galaxies. The wind mass M_w_ is related to the total baryonic mass M_bar_ by the relation M_w_/M_bar_ is proportional to M_bar_^0.4^. In the present study, the models for giant, intermediate, and dwarf galaxies are considered. Heat conduction is neglected. Models of intermediate galaxies are used as a zero point. Initially, in all the models, the clouds were found to evaporate because the wind heats the gas. The gas temperature then decreases and a part of the evaporated gas returns to the system and condenses into the cold core surrounded by the diffuse envelope. The rest of the matter escapes from the system. The relation L_X_ is proportional to L_B_^2^ is fulfilled. The dependence of the final solution on the initial conditions is weak for giant-galaxy models and is strong for dwarf-galaxy models. If a dwarf galaxy is diffuse, all the gas escapes and a core does not appear. If a galaxy is compact, the surrounding envelope is too cold and cannot emit X-rays, as might have been expected. Intermediate galaxies with a small dark-halo mass form cores with a very low metal content. Intermediate galaxies with a normal mass form cores with the expected metallicity. The restrictions on the initial conditions are as follows: (1) M_bar_ is proportional to M_V_ (the mixture of luminous and dark matter in the Universe is homogeneous); (2) R_0_ is proportional to M^1/2^ (the initial radius of the system is proportional to the square root of the total mass). Under such conditions, M_S_ is proportional to M_bar_ (the total stellar mass is proportional to the initial mass). The dependence of the galaxy's properties on the properties of the supercluster that contains the galaxy is considered.