Related papers: Shock-induced star formation in a model of the Mic…
The empirical laws of star formation suggest that galactic-scale gravity is involved, but they do not identify the actual triggering mechanisms for clusters in the final stages. Many other triggering processes satisfy the empirical laws…
Empirical star formation laws from the last 20 years are reviewed with a comparison to simulations. The current form in main galaxy disks has a linear relationship between the star formation rate per unit area and the molecular cloud mass…
We study gravitational instability and consequent star formation in a wide range of isolated disk galaxies, using three-dimensional, smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations at resolution sufficient to fully resolve gravitational…
This letter matches the shape of the star formation intensity distribution function to empirical laws such as the Schmidt law. The shape of the distribution at a redshift of one is reproduced from the empirical Schmidt law with a critical…
We study the galactic-scale triggering of star formation. We find that the largest mass-scale not stabilized by rotation, a well defined quantity in a rotating system and with clear dynamical meaning, strongly correlates with the star…
Star formation has been observed to occur at globally low yet locally varying efficiencies. As such, accurate capture of star formation in numerical simulations requires mechanisms that can replicate both its smaller-scale variations and…
Understanding star formation is problematic as it originates in the large scale dynamics of a galaxy but occurs on the small scale of an individual star forming event. This paper presents the first numerical simulations to resolve the star…
Galaxy interactions are known to trigger starbursts. Young massive star clusters formed in interacting galaxies and mergers may become young globular clusters. The ages of these clusters can provide clues about the timing of…
We revisit the proposed extended Schmidt law (Shi et al. 2011) which points that the star formation efficiency in galaxies depends on the stellar mass surface density, by investigating spatially-resolved star formation rates (SFRs), gas…
We propose a simple theoretical model for star formation in which the local star formation rate in a galaxy is determined by three factors. First, the interplay between the interstellar radiation field and molecular self-shielding…
One of the most puzzling properties of observed galaxies is the universality of the empirical correlation between the star formation rate and average gas surface density on kiloparsec scales (the Schmidt law). In this study I present…
We derive a metallicity dependent relation between the surface density of the star formation rate (Sigma_{SFR}) and the gas surface density (Sigma_{g}) in a feedback regulated model of star formation in galactic disks. In this model, star…
The formation of stars is a key process in astrophysics. Detailed knowledge of the physical mechanisms that govern stellar birth is a prerequisite for understanding the formation and evolution of our galactic home, the Milky Way. A theory…
We propose an "extended Schmidt law" with explicit dependence of the star formation efficiency (SFE=SFR/Mgas) on the stellar mass surface density. This relation has a power-law index of 0.48+-0.04 and an 1-sigma observed scatter on the SFE…
(Abridged). We model gravitational instability in a wide range of isolated disk galaxies, using GADGET, a three-dimensional, smoothed particle hydrodynamics code. The model galaxies include a dark matter halo and a disk of stars and…
Star formation in galaxies relies on the availability of cold, dense gas, which, in turn, relies on factors internal and external to the galaxies. In order to provide a simple model for how star formation is regulated by various physical…
We present a general star formation law where star formation rate depends upon efficiency $\alpha$, timescale $\tau$ of star formation, gas component $\sigma_{g}$ of surface mass density and a real exponent $n$. A given exponent $n$…
We offer a simple parameterization of the rate of star formation in galaxies. In this new approach, we make explicit and decouple the timescales associated (a) with disruptive effects the star formation event itself, from (b) the timescales…
Star formation depends on the available gaseous "fuel" as well as galactic environment, with higher specific star formation rates where gas is predominantly molecular and where stellar (and dark matter) densities are higher. The partition…
We use simulations with realistic models for stellar feedback to study galaxy mergers. These high resolution (1 pc) simulations follow formation and destruction of individual GMCs and star clusters. The final starburst is dominated by in…