Numerical Modeling of Multiphase, Turbulent Galactic Disks with Star Formation Feedback

TL;DR

This paper uses numerical simulations to explore how star formation feedback regulates turbulence and pressure in galactic disks, confirming a nearly linear relationship between star formation rate and midplane pressure.

Contribution

It provides a quantitative analysis of the relationship between star formation feedback, turbulence, and pressure in galactic disks using hydrodynamic simulations.

Findings

Star formation rate correlates linearly with midplane pressure.

Turbulence driving and dissipation rates are balanced at saturation.

Theoretical predictions match simulation results.

Abstract

Star formation is self-regulated by its feedback that drives turbulence and heats the gas. In equilibrium, the star formation rate (SFR) should be directly related to the total (thermal plus turbulent) midplane pressure and hence the total weight of the diffuse gas if energy balance and vertical dynamical equilibrium hold simultaneously. To investigate this quantitatively, we utilize numerical hydrodynamic simulations focused on outer-disk regions where diffuse atomic gas dominates. By analyzing gas properties at saturation, we obtain relationships between the turbulence driving and dissipation rates, heating and cooling rates, the total midplane pressure and the total weight of gas, and the SFR and the total midplane pressure. We find a nearly linear relationship between the SFR and the midplane pressure consistent with the theoretical prediction.