Physical properties and scaling relations of molecular clouds : The effect of stellar feedback
(2018) In Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 479(3). p.3167-3180- Abstract
Using hydrodynamical simulations of entire galactic discs similar to the Milky Way (MW), reaching 4.6 pc resolution, we study the origins of observed physical properties of giant molecular clouds (GMCs). We find that efficient stellar feedback is a necessary ingredient in order to develop a realistic interstellar medium, leading to molecular cloud masses, sizes, velocity dispersions, and virial parameters in excellent agreement withMWobservations. GMCscaling relations observed in the MW, such as the mass-size (M-R), velocity dispersion-size (σ-R), and the σ-RΣ relations, are reproduced in a feedback-driven ISM when observed in projection, with M∝R2.3 and σ∝R0.56.When analysed in 3D, GMC scaling relations steepen... (More)
Using hydrodynamical simulations of entire galactic discs similar to the Milky Way (MW), reaching 4.6 pc resolution, we study the origins of observed physical properties of giant molecular clouds (GMCs). We find that efficient stellar feedback is a necessary ingredient in order to develop a realistic interstellar medium, leading to molecular cloud masses, sizes, velocity dispersions, and virial parameters in excellent agreement withMWobservations. GMCscaling relations observed in the MW, such as the mass-size (M-R), velocity dispersion-size (σ-R), and the σ-RΣ relations, are reproduced in a feedback-driven ISM when observed in projection, with M∝R2.3 and σ∝R0.56.When analysed in 3D, GMC scaling relations steepen significantly, indicating potential limitations of our understanding of molecular cloud 3D structure from observations. Furthermore, we demonstrate how a GMC population's underlying distribution of virial parameters can strongly influence the scatter in derived scaling relations. Finally, we show that GMCs with nearly identical global properties exist in different evolutionary stages, where a majority of clouds being either gravitationally bound or expanding, but with a significant fraction being compressed by external ISM pressure, at all times.
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- author
- Grisdale, Kearn ; Agertz, Oscar LU ; Renaud, Florent LU and Romeo, Alessandro B.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2018-09-21
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Galaxies:evolution, Galaxies:formation, Galaxies:ism, Galaxies:structure
- in
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- volume
- 479
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 14 pages
- publisher
- Oxford University Press
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85051557452
- ISSN
- 0035-8711
- DOI
- 10.1093/mnras/sty1595
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- c6db7be9-e483-40f8-aaff-c74631c994d3
- date added to LUP
- 2018-09-07 08:21:57
- date last changed
- 2024-04-15 11:05:46
@article{c6db7be9-e483-40f8-aaff-c74631c994d3, abstract = {{<p>Using hydrodynamical simulations of entire galactic discs similar to the Milky Way (MW), reaching 4.6 pc resolution, we study the origins of observed physical properties of giant molecular clouds (GMCs). We find that efficient stellar feedback is a necessary ingredient in order to develop a realistic interstellar medium, leading to molecular cloud masses, sizes, velocity dispersions, and virial parameters in excellent agreement withMWobservations. GMCscaling relations observed in the MW, such as the mass-size (M-R), velocity dispersion-size (σ-R), and the σ-RΣ relations, are reproduced in a feedback-driven ISM when observed in projection, with M∝R<sup>2.3</sup> and σ∝R<sup>0.56</sup>.When analysed in 3D, GMC scaling relations steepen significantly, indicating potential limitations of our understanding of molecular cloud 3D structure from observations. Furthermore, we demonstrate how a GMC population's underlying distribution of virial parameters can strongly influence the scatter in derived scaling relations. Finally, we show that GMCs with nearly identical global properties exist in different evolutionary stages, where a majority of clouds being either gravitationally bound or expanding, but with a significant fraction being compressed by external ISM pressure, at all times.</p>}}, author = {{Grisdale, Kearn and Agertz, Oscar and Renaud, Florent and Romeo, Alessandro B.}}, issn = {{0035-8711}}, keywords = {{Galaxies:evolution; Galaxies:formation; Galaxies:ism; Galaxies:structure}}, language = {{eng}}, month = {{09}}, number = {{3}}, pages = {{3167--3180}}, publisher = {{Oxford University Press}}, series = {{Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}}, title = {{Physical properties and scaling relations of molecular clouds : The effect of stellar feedback}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty1595}}, doi = {{10.1093/mnras/sty1595}}, volume = {{479}}, year = {{2018}}, }