Special Seminar

Phase Transition Dynamics of Interstellar Medium: Theory, Simulations, and Implications for Star Formation

Shu-ichiro Inutsuka, Professor, TA-Lab/Dept. of Physics, Nagoya University,

Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) of interstellar medium is remarkably different from that of simple barotropic gas owing to the phase transitions between cold phase and warm phase (and hot phase) that trigger variety of instabilities. Identifications of distinct instabilities in various stages provide us important clues for understanding the saturation levels of turbulent energies and rates of formation and destruction of cold clouds such as HI clouds and molecular clouds. Recent progress in this line of work is reviewed and implications for the star formation are described. Depending on the interests of the audience, brief description for the methodology will be given, which may include Riemann Solvers in MHD, numerical simulation of dissipation in relativistic magnetohydrodynamics, and the evolutionary condition of intermediate shocks justified in resistive MHD.

Event Sponsors:

Theoretical AstroPhysics Including Relativity and Cosmology (TAPIR) - More events from this Sponsor

For more information, please contact JoAnn Boyd by phone at 4280 or by email at [email protected].