arXivDaily arXiv每日学术速递 周一至周五更新
arXiv 1107.0744astro-ph.GA
收藏

银河系冷气形成的HI柱密度阈值

An HI column density threshold for cold gas formation in the Galaxy

Nissim Kanekar, Robert Braun, Nirupam Roy

摘要:

我们报告的发现,在HI柱密度的银河系气体云的冷相HI的形成被抑制的阈值。这个阈值是在$N_{HI} = 2 \times 10^{20}$/cm $^{2}$处;具有较低HI柱密度的视线具有高自旋温度(中值$T_s \sim 1800$ K),表明冷中性介质(CNM)的低分数,而具有$N_{HI} \ge 2 \times 10^{20}$/cm $^{2}$的视线具有低自旋温度(中值$T_s \sim 240$ K),表明高CNM分数。CNM形成的阈值可能是由于在较低的HI柱密度下对紫外光子的低效自屏蔽而产生的。该阈值类似于阻尼莱曼- $α$吸收器的定义柱密度;这表明阻尼和亚阻尼莱曼- $α$系统之间的物理差异,后一类吸收器主要包含热气体。

英文摘要:

We report the discovery of a threshold in the HI column density of Galactic gas clouds below which the formation of the cold phase of HI is inhibited. This threshold is at $N_{HI} = 2 \times 10^{20}$ per cm$^{2}$; sightlines with lower HI column densities have high spin temperatures (median $T_s \sim 1800$ K), indicating low fractions of the cold neutral medium (CNM), while sightlines with $N_{HI} \ge 2 \times 10^{20}$ per cm$^{2}$ have low spin temperatures (median $T_s \sim 240$ K), implying high CNM fractions. The threshold for CNM formation is likely to arise due to inefficient self-shielding against ultraviolet photons at lower HI column densities. The threshold is similar to the defining column density of a damped Lyman-$α$ absorber; this indicates a physical difference between damped and sub-damped Lyman-$α$ systems, with the latter class of absorbers containing predominantly warm gas.

机构、总结、中文摘要均由AI分析而来,可能存在错误,请以论文正文为准。

↑