The Magellanic stream - The turbulent wake of the Magellanic clouds in the halo of the Galaxy

Abstract

Recent observations of the Magellanic Stream show that it is composed of six discrete gas clouds with looped or horseshoe-shaped structures which appear to have predominantly radial velocities. To explain this, it is proposed that cold dense clouds are formed as a result of thermal instabilities in the wake of the Magellanic Clouds during their passage through the hot halo of the Galaxy and that they are now sinking toward the galactic center.