Model for the evolution of the intergalactic medium

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Publ. Astron. Soc. Pac.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/132338· OSTI ID:6286610

Chiang, W H; Ryu, D; Vishniac, E T

The way that baryonic matter left over from galaxy formation would evolve in a cold dark matter-dominated universe if there was significant energy feedback from pregalactic objects is investigated. It is found that the growth of density fluctuations on small scales in the gas component is substantially reduced during the period of galaxy heating. Large connected structures dominate the distribution of the model intergalactic matter (IGM). The gas is mostly ionized, with less than one percent of the gas with temperatures below 10,000 K, whereas about 40 percent is above 10 to the 6th K. Pressure equilibrium is absent in the model IGM. Condensed gas is confined by the gravity of the dark matter, except during the very short period of galaxy heating. At late times the power spectrum of the model IGM is substantially depressed at short wavelengths. The two-point correlation function of the model IGM fits the observed galaxy-galaxy two-point correlation function for separations between 0.3/h Mpc and 2.4/h Mpc. 19 references.

• Research Organization: Texas Univ., Austin (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6286610
• Journal Information: Publ. Astron. Soc. Pac.; (United States), Journal Name: Publ. Astron. Soc. Pac.; (United States) Vol. 100; ISSN PASPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
640106 -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Cosmology
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BARYONS
CORRELATION FUNCTIONS
COSMOLOGY
DENSITY
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
FLUIDS
FUNCTIONS
GALACTIC EVOLUTION
GASES
GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS
HADRONS
HEATING
INTERGALACTIC SPACE
IONIZED GASES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SPACE