Modeling the Disk (three-phase) Interstellar Medium

TL;DR

This paper reviews advanced numerical modeling techniques for the complex, multi-phase interstellar medium in galactic disks, emphasizing gas dynamics, star formation, and chemical evolution processes.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of current numerical schemes and physical processes essential for simulating the multi-phase interstellar medium in galaxy evolution.

Findings

Highlights the importance of multi-phase modeling for understanding galactic evolution

Discusses the capabilities of state-of-the-art hydrodynamical simulation methods

Emphasizes the role of star formation and feedback in gas dynamics and chemistry

Abstract

The evolution of galactic disks from their early stages is dominated by gasdynamical effects such as gas infall, galactic fountains, and galactic outflows, and further more. The influence of these processes is only understandable in the framework of diverse gas phases differing in their thermal energies, dynamics, and element abundances. To trace the temporal and chemical evolution of galactic disks, it is therefore essential to model the interstellar gasdynamics combined with stellar dynamics, the interactions between gas phases, and star-gas mass and energy exchanges as detailed as possible. This article reviews the potential of state-of-the-art numerical schemes like Smooth-Particle and grid-based hydrodynamics as well as the inherent processes as of star-formation criteria and feedback, energy deposit and metal enrichment by stars and on the influence of gas-phase interactions on the galactic gas dynamics and chemistry.