Scaling Relations of Galactic Winds with Star Formation Rate
Abstract
The galactic scale outflows generated by nuclear starbursts consist of a multiphase medium where each phase has a distinct velocity depending on the characteristics of the starburst. Using synthetic absorption lines generated from 3D hydrodynamical simulations we probe the outflow velocity of the hot, warm, and neutral gas entrained in a galactic wind. By varying the star formation rate (SFR) in our simulations, we find no correlation between the outflow velocity of the hot gas with the SFR, but we do find a correlation between the outflow velocity of both warm and neutral gas with the SFR. The scaling relation between outflow velocity and SFR only holds for low SFR until the scaling relation abruptly flattens at a SFR determined by the mass loading of the starburst. The outflow velocity of the hot gas only depends on the mass loading of the starburst and not the SFR. For low SFRs the difference between the velocity of cold gas, as measured by absorption lines of neutral or low ionized gas, may be 5-7 times lower than the velocity of the hot, highly ionized gas. The difference in velocity between the cold and hot gas for higher SFRs depends on the mass loading factor of the starburst. Thus the measured velocities of neutral or low ionized gas cannot be used to estimate the outflow velocity of the hot gas without determining the mass loading of the starburst.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #229
- Pub Date:
- January 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017AAS...22922204T