MHD Simulations of the ISM: The Importance of the Galactic Magnetic Field on the ISM "Phases"

We have carried out 1.25 pc resolution MHD simulations of the ISM, on a Cartesian grid of $0 \leq (x,y) \leq 1$ kpc size in the galactic plane and $-10 \leq z \leq 10$ kpc into the halo, thus being able to fully trace the time-dependent evolution of the galactic fountain. The simulations show that large scale gas streams emerge, driven by SN explosions, which are responsible for the formation and destruction of shocked compressed layers. The shocked gas can have densities as high as 800 cm$^{-3}$ and lifetimes up to 15 Myr. The cold gas is distributed into filaments which tend to show a preferred orientation due to the anisotropy of the flow induced by the galactic magnetic field. Ram pressure dominates the flow in the unstable branch $10^{2}<$T$\leq 10^{3.9}$ K, while for T$\leq 100$ K (stable branch) magnetic pressure takes over. Near supernovae thermal and ram pressures determine the dynamics of the flow. Up to 80% of the mass in the disk is concentrated in the thermally unstable regime $10^{2}<$T$\leq 10^{3.9}$ K with $\sim30$ of the disk mass enclosed in the T$\leq 10^{3}$ K gas. The hot gas in contrast is controlled by the thermal pressure, since magnetic field lines are swept towards the dense compressed walls.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures (in jpeg format) that include 2 simulations images and 6 plots. Paper accepted by the referee for publication in the proceedings of ``Magnetic fields and star formation: theory versus observations'', kluwe

ISM Simulations: An Overview of Models

Until recently the dynamical evolution of the interstellar medium (ISM) was simulated using collisional ionization equilibrium (CIE) conditions. However, the ISM is a dynamical system, in which the plasma is naturally driven out of equilibrium due to atomic and dynamic processes operating on different timescales. A step forward in the field comprises a multi-fluid approach taking into account the joint thermal and dynamical evolutions of the ISM gas.Comment: Overview paper (3 pages) presented by M. Avillez at the Special Session "Modern views of the interstellar medium", XXVIIIth IAU General Assembly, August 27-30, 2012, Beijing. Chin

The History and Future of the Local and Loop I Bubbles

The Local and Loop I superbubbles are the closest and best investigated supernova (SN) generated bubbles and serve as test laboratories for observations and theories of the interstellar medium. Since the morphology and dynamical evolution of bubbles depend on the ambient density and pressure distributions, a realistic modelling of the galactic environment is crucial for a detailed comparison with observations. We have performed 3D high resolution (down to 1.25 pc on a kpc-scale grid) hydrodynamic simulations of the Local Bubble (LB) and the neighbouring Loop I (L1) superbubble in a realistically evolving inhomogeneous background ISM, disturbed already by SN explosions at the Galactic rate for 200 Myr before the LB and L1 are generated. The LB is the result of 19 SNe occurring in a moving group, which passed through the present day local HI cavity. We can reproduce (i) the OVI column density in absorption within the LB in agreement with COPERNICUS and recent FUSE observations, giving N(OVI) <2 10^{13} cm^-2 and N(OVI)<7 10^{12} cm^-2, respectively, (ii) the observed sizes of the Local and Loop I superbubbles, (iii) the interaction shell between LB and L1, discovered with ROSAT, (iv) constrain the age of the LB to be 14.5+0.7/-0.4 Myr, (v) predict the merging of the two bubbles in about 3 Myr, when the interaction shell starts to fragment, (vi) the generation of blobs like the Local Cloud as a consequence of a dynamical instability. We find that evolving superbubbles strongly deviate from idealised self-similar solutions due to ambient pressure and density gradients, as well as due to turbulent mixing and mass loading. Hence, at later times the hot interior can break through the surrounding shell, which may also help to explain the puzzling energy "deficit" observed in LMC bubbles.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics Letters. The paper contains 5 pages and 11 figures. Fig. 1a replaced by correct figur

MHD turbulence-Star Formation Connection: from pc to kpc scales

The transport of magnetic flux to outside of collapsing molecular clouds is a required step to allow the formation of stars. Although ambipolar diffusion is often regarded as a key mechanism for that, it has been recently argued that it may not be efficient enough. In this review, we discuss the role that MHD turbulence plays in the transport of magnetic flux in star forming flows. In particular, based on recent advances in the theory of fast magnetic reconnection in turbulent flows, we will show results of three-dimensional numerical simulations that indicate that the diffusion of magnetic field induced by turbulent reconnection can be a very efficient mechanism, especially in the early stages of cloud collapse and star formation. To conclude, we will also briefly discuss the turbulence-star formation connection and feedback in different astrophysical environments: from galactic to cluster of galaxy scales.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, 274 IAU Symposium: Advances in Plasma Astrophysic

Mixing Time Scales in a Supernova-Driven Interstellar Medium

We study the mixing of chemical species in the interstellar medium (ISM). Recent observations suggest that the distribution of species such as deuterium in the ISM may be far from homogeneous. This raises the question of how long it takes for inhomogeneities to be erased in the ISM, and how this depends on the length scale of the inhomogeneities. We added a tracer field to the three-dimensional, supernova-driven ISM model of Avillez (2000) to study mixing and dispersal in kiloparsec-scale simulations of the ISM with different supernova (SN) rates and different inhomogeneity length scales. We find several surprising results. Classical mixing length theory fails to predict the very weak dependence of mixing time on length scale that we find on scales of 25--500 pc. Derived diffusion coefficients increase exponentially with time, rather than remaining constant. The variance of composition declines exponentially, with a time constant of tens of Myr, so that large differences fade faster than small ones. The time constant depends on the inverse square root of the supernova rate. One major reason for these results is that even with numerical diffusion exceeding physical values, gas does not mix quickly between hot and cold regions.Comment: 23 pages, 14 figures that include 7 simulation images and 19 plots, accepted for publication at Ap

High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy and imaging of the nuclear outflow of the starburst galaxy NGC 253

Aims: Using XMM-Newton data, we have aimed to study the nuclear outflow of the nearby starburst galaxy NGC 253 in X-rays with respect to its morphology and to spectral variations along the outflow. Methods: We analysed XMM-Newton RGS spectra, RGS brightness profiles in cross-dispersion direction, narrow band RGS and EPIC images and EPIC PN brightness profiles of the nuclear region and of the outflow of NGC 253. Results: We detect a diversity of emission lines along the outflow of NGC 253. This includes the He-like ions of Si, Mg, Ne and O and their corresponding ions in the next higher ionisation state. Additionally transitions from Fe XVII and Fe XVIII are prominent. The derived temperatures from line ratios along the outflow range from 0.21+/-0.01 to 0.79+/-0.06 keV and the ratio of Fe XVII lines indicates a predominantly collisionally ionised plasma. Additionally we see indications of a recombining or underionized plasma in the Fe XVII line ratio. Derived electron densities are 0.106+/-0.018 cm^-3 for the nuclear region and 0.025+/-0.003 cm^-3 for the outflow region closest to the centre. The RGS image in the O VIII line energy clearly shows the morphology of an outflow extending out to ~750 pc along the south-east minor axis, while the north-west part of the outflow is not seen in O VIII due to the heavy absorption by the galactic disc. This is the first time that the hot wind fluid has been detected directly. The limb brightening seen in Chandra and XMM-Newton EPIC observations is only seen in the energy range containing the Fe XVII lines (550-750 eV). In all other energy ranges between 400 and 2000 eV no clear evidence of limb brightening could be detected.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication on A&A, v2: typos corrected, electron densities and table with emission line flux added, discussion improve