Related papers: Phases and Structures of Interstellar Gas
Knowledge of the molecular component of the ISM is fundamental to understand star formation. The H2 component appears to dominate the gas mass in the inner parts of galaxies, while the HI component dominates in the outer parts. Observation…
In the interstellar medium of the Milky Way, certain elements -- e.g., Mg, Si, Al, Ca, Ti, Fe -- reside predominantly in interstellar dust grains. These grains absorb, scatter, and emit electromagnetic radiation, heat the interstellar…
A common point of view is that stable polar structures are mainly present in the E/S0 early-type galaxies lacking dense gas in their host disks. However, nuclear, as well as external polar rings and disks also exist in the late-type hosts,…
The progressive mixing and contamination of interstellar gas by supernovae and other processes following the passage of a spiral density wave is reviewed, with an emphasis on the Solar neighborhood. Regions of star formation should begin…
All gasdynamical models for the evolution of gaseous content of galaxies assume that cooling from the hot, virialized phase to the cold phase occured through some sort of thermal instability. Subsequent formation of colder clouds embedded…
In order to investigate the origin of the interstellar turbulence, detailed observations in the CO J=1--0 and 3--2 lines have been carried out in an interacting region of a molecular cloud with an HII region. As a result, several 1,000 to…
The build-up of galaxies is regulated by a complex interplay between gravitational collapse, galaxy merging and feedback related to AGN and star formation. The energy released by these processes has to dissipate for gas to cool, condense,…
Gas processes affecting star formation are reviewed with an emphasis on gravitational and magnetic instabilities as a source of turbulence. Gravitational instabilities are pervasive in a multi-phase medium, even for sub-threshold column…
Results from IRAS and recent X-ray and optical surveys are reviewed to discuss the properties and nature of the interstellar medium in elliptical galaxies. As to the dust component, there is a strong contrast with the situation among spiral…
Galactic winds are crucial to the cosmic cycle of matter, transporting material out of the dense regions of galaxies. Observations show the coexistence of different temperature phases in such winds, which is not easy to explain. We present…
The structure of the interstellar medium in the central kpc region of a galaxy with a weak bar-like potential is investigated taking into account realistic cooling and heating processes and the self-gravity of the gas. Using high resolution…
The central problem of galaxy formation is understanding the cooling and condensation of gas in dark matter halos. It is now clear that to match observations this requires further physics than the simple assumptions of single phase gas…
In this article I review recent observations of the gaseous halos of galaxies and the intergalactic medium at low redshift. In the first part I discuss distribution, metal content, and physical properties of the Galactic intermediate- and…
We describe the evolution of hot interstellar gas in a family of low luminosity elliptical galaxies all having $M_B = -20$ but with different degrees of flattening (E0, E2, and E6) caused by rotation. The interstellar gas is furnished by…
Spurred by rich, multi-wavelength observations and enabled by new simulations, ranging from cosmological to sub-pc scales, the last decade has seen major theoretical progress in our understanding of the circumgalactic medium. We review key…
How does turbulence contribute to the formation and structure of the dense interstellar medium (ISM)? Molecular clouds are dense, high-pressure objects. It is usually argued that gravitational confinement causes the high pressures, and that…
I review (1) Physics of Star Formation & Open Questions; (2) Structure & Dynamics of Star-Forming Clouds & Young Clusters; (3) Star Formation Rates: Observations & Theoretical Implications.
The gas component plays a major role in the dynamics of spiral galaxies, because of its dissipative character, and its ability to exchange angular momentum with stars in the disk. Due to its small velocity dispersion, it triggers…
Observations show that (i) multiple gas phases can coexist in the atmospheres of galaxies and clusters; (ii) these atmospheres may be significantly rotating in the inner parts, with typical velocities that approach or even exceed the local…
I review recent results derived from numerical simulations of the turbulent interstellar medium (ISM), in particular concerning the nature and formation of turbulent clouds, methods for comparing the structure in simulations and…