Bibcode
DOI
Casuso, E.; Beckman, J. E.
Bibliographical reference
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 656, Issue 2, pp. 897-906.
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2
2007
Journal
Citations
6
Refereed citations
3
Description
We present here a simple approach to understanding the gas cloud mass
distribution function by simulating formation and destruction of gas
clouds and gas clumps in the ISM. We include as relevant processes
coagulation to form bigger clouds, as well as disruption by collisions
and the removal of gas by collapse to form stars. We evolve initial sets
of preexisting gas clumps with a range of initial distribution functions
(flat, Gaussian, fractal) for their physical parameters and with
different geometrical forms (spherical or elongated) for the individual
clouds, and constrain them within an imaginary box representing
gravitational bounding, applying the kinematic laws of nonelastic
collisions. The results agree well with observations of the mass
distribution function of Galactic giant gas clouds if we choose a
Gaussian for the initial distribution function, and initial gas clouds
which are quasi-spherical.