Large-scale atomic and molecular gas distributions in disk galaxies. I - Model. II - A scaling law

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (11) References (91) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Large-Scale Atomic and Molecular Gas Distributions in Disk Galaxies. I. Model Wang, Zhong Abstract In the present investigation of radial surface mass density distributions of disk galaxies' atomic and molecular gas, the cloud-cloud interaction process and the average rate of molecular cloud formation are characterized within the framework of a three-phase diffuse interstellar medium environment and the star-formation rate is assumed to be proportional to the local surface mass density of molecular gas. It is found that many features of the observed large-scale gas distributions in a 'typical' late-type galaxy are substantially determined by the combined stellar and gaseous mass within the disk. Spiral density waves reorganize the cloud distribution and enhance the local probability of cloud-cloud collisions without directly triggering star formation. In the second part of this work, the model is applied to observational data from 14 nearby spiral galaxies ranging in morphological type from Sab to Scd. The present model suggests a scaling law for describing radial gas distribution characteristics in galaxies. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: September 1990 DOI: 10.1086/169142 Bibcode: 1990ApJ...360..529W Keywords: Astronomical Models; Disk Galaxies; Galactic Structure; H I Regions; Interstellar Gas; Molecular Clouds; Density Wave Model; Mass Distribution; Milky Way Galaxy; Spiral Galaxies; Star Formation Rate; Astrophysics; GALAXIES: INTERSTELLAR MATTER; GALAXIES: STRUCTURE; GALAXIES: THE GALAXY; INTERSTELLAR: MOLECULES full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (5) Related Materials (1) Part 2: 1990ApJ...360..543W