Theoretical Studies in Interstellar Astrophysics

星际天体物理学理论研究

• 批准号: 8918573
• 负责人: Christopher McKee
• 金额: $ 22.49万
• 依托单位: University of California-Berkeley
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1990
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1990-03-15 至 1993-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=8918573&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Theoretical; Studies; Interstellar; Astrophysics

The dynamics of the interstellar medium on small and intermediate scale sizes is governed by energy injection from stars, particularly the ionizing radiation, winds, and supernova explosions of massive stars. The evolution of ionized hydrogen regions, both around isolated massive stars and clusters of such stars, in an inhomogeneous medium will examined by Dr. McKee. The dynamics and spectra of the remnants of supernovae which explode in ionized hydrogen regions will be calculated, and the implications for the observed statistics of remnants assessed. Supernovae from a cluster of massive stars create a "superbubble" in the interstellar medium; the dynamics of such structures will be investigated, with applications both to the Galaxy and to starburst galaxies. A powerful new hydrodynamics computer code will be used to address some fundamental problems in interstellar gas dynamics posed by energy injection, including the interaction of a blast wave with an interstellar cloud. The spectra of interstellar shocks provide astronomers with essential diagnostic tools for the study of the effects of stellar energy injection, and a comprehensive attack on the structure of shocks in molecular gas is planned. Extensive calculations will develop the hypothesis that interstellar water masers are due to shocks in dense molecular gas. Stars energize the interstellar medium through radiation and stellar wiinds during the star's life, and for some stars, through supernova explosions at their death. This energy is eventually radiated into intergalactic space, so the energization of the interstellar medium may be viewed as an energy flow which originates in stars in several forms, streams outward through the interstellar medium, and finally leaves the Galaxy in the form of radiation, cosmic rays, and in extreme cases, a wind. One of the central problems in interstellar astrophysics is to understand how stellar energy injection produces the physical conditions and morphology of the interstellar medium, both in our Galaxy and in other galaxies. Dr. McKee's research will focus on energy injection by massive stars, which dominates the energy injection into the interstellar medium.

小型和中等尺度大小上星际介质的动力学由恒星的能量注入，尤其是大规模恒星的电离辐射，风和超新星爆炸。 McKee博士在不均匀的培养基中检查了离子化的氢区的演变，无论是在不均匀培养基中的孤立的巨星和恒星簇周围的演变。 将计算在离子化氢区域爆炸的超新星残留物的动力学和光谱，并将对所评估的残留物的观察到的统计数据进行计算。 来自大型恒星群的超新星在星际介质中产生了“超级泡沫”。将研究此类结构的动力学，并在银河系和星际星系上进行应用。 强大的新流体力学计算机代码将用于解决能量注入带来的星际气体动力学中的一些基本问题，包括爆炸波与星际云的相互作用。 星际冲击的光谱为天文学家提供了研究恒星能量注入作用的必要诊断工具，并计划对分子气体中的冲击结构进行全面攻击。 广泛的计算将提出以下假设：星际水层是由于致密分子气的冲击而引起的。 星星通过辐射和恒星一生中的恒星Wiinds为星际培养基提供了激发，对于某些恒星，通过超新星爆炸而去世。 该能量最终被辐射到半层状空间中，因此，星际介质的能量可以被视为能量流，该能量以多种形式以恒星形式，通过星际介质向外流，最后以辐射，宇宙射线的形式离开银河系，在极端情况下，风。 星际天体物理学的核心问题之一是了解恒星能量注入如何在我们的星系和其他星系中产生星际介质的物理条件和形态。 McKee博士的研究将集中于大规模恒星的能量注射，该恒星主导了进入星际介质的能量。