THE ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION OF COLD GAS IN THE HALO OF A MILKY-WAY-MASS GALAXY

Journal Article · Fri Apr 20 04:00:00 EDT 2012 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/749/2/181· OSTI ID:22020363

Fernandez, Ximena; Joung, M Ryan; Putman, Mary E ^[1]

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1. Department of Astronomy, Columbia University, 550 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027 (United States)

We analyze an adaptive mesh refinement hydrodynamic cosmological simulation of a Milky-Way-sized galaxy to study the cold gas in the halo. H I observations of the Milky Way and other nearby spirals have revealed the presence of such gas in the form of clouds and other extended structures, which indicates ongoing accretion. We use a high-resolution simulation (136-272 pc throughout) to study the distribution of cold gas in the halo, compare it with observations, and examine its origin. The amount ({approx}10{sup 8} M{sub Sun} in H I), covering fraction, and spatial distribution of the cold halo gas around the simulated galaxy at z = 0 are consistent with existing observations. At z = 0, the H I mass accretion rate onto the disk is 0.2 M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}. We track the histories of the 20 satellites that are detected in H I in the redshift interval 0.5 > z > 0 and find that most of them are losing gas, with a median mass-loss rate per satellite of 3.1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -3} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}. This stripped gas is a significant component of the H I gas seen in the simulation. In addition, we see filamentary material coming into the halo from the intergalactic medium at all redshifts. Most of this gas does not make it directly to the disk, but part of the gas in these structures is able to cool and form clouds. The metallicity of the gas allows us to distinguish between filamentary flows and satellite gas. We find that the former accounts for at least 25%-75% of the cold gas in the halo seen at any redshift analyzed here. Placing constraints on cloud formation mechanisms allows us to better understand how galaxies accrete gas and fuel star formation at z = 0.

• OSTI ID: 22020363
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 749; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COSMOLOGICAL MODELS
COSMOLOGY
GALACTIC EVOLUTION
MASS
MILKY WAY
RED SHIFT
SATELLITES
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
STARS