TY - JOUR
T1 - ISM turbulence driven by the magnetorotational instability
AU - Piontek, Robert A.
AU - Ostriker, Eve Charis
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported in part by grants NAG5-9167 (NASA), AST 0205972 and AST 0507315 (National Science Foundation). Most of the simulations presented here were performed on the Thunderhead cluster at Goddard Space Flight Center, and the Center for Theory and Computation cluster in the University of Maryland Department of Astronomy. This research has made use of NASA’s Astrophysics Data System.
PY - 2006/8
Y1 - 2006/8
N2 - We have performed numerical simulations which were designed to further our understanding of the turbulent interstellar medium (ISM). Our simulations include a multi-phase thermodynamic model of the ISM, magnetic fields, and sheared rotation, allowing us to study the effects of the magnetorotational instability (MRI) in an environment containing high density cold clouds embedded in a warm, low density, ambient medium. These models have shown that the MRI is indeed a significant source of turbulence, particularly at low mean densities typical of the outer regions of the Milky Way, where star formation rates are low, but high levels of turbulence persist. Here, we summarize past findings, as well as our most recent models which include vertical stratification, allowing us to self-consistently model the vertical distribution of material in the disk.
AB - We have performed numerical simulations which were designed to further our understanding of the turbulent interstellar medium (ISM). Our simulations include a multi-phase thermodynamic model of the ISM, magnetic fields, and sheared rotation, allowing us to study the effects of the magnetorotational instability (MRI) in an environment containing high density cold clouds embedded in a warm, low density, ambient medium. These models have shown that the MRI is indeed a significant source of turbulence, particularly at low mean densities typical of the outer regions of the Milky Way, where star formation rates are low, but high levels of turbulence persist. Here, we summarize past findings, as well as our most recent models which include vertical stratification, allowing us to self-consistently model the vertical distribution of material in the disk.
KW - Clouds
KW - ISM: general
KW - Kinematics and dynamics
KW - Magnetic fields
KW - Structure
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U2 - 10.1017/S1743921307001238
DO - 10.1017/S1743921307001238
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:37049036177
SN - 1743-9213
VL - 2
SP - 65
EP - 69
JO - Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
JF - Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
IS - S237
ER -