Radiative magnetized thermal conduction fronts

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (178) References (58) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Radiative Magnetized Thermal Conduction Fronts Borkowski, Kazimierz J. ; Balbus, Steven A. ; Fristrom, Carl C. Abstract The evolution of plane-parallel magnetized thermal conduction fronts in the interstellar medium (ISM) was studied. Separating the coronal ISM phase and interstellar clouds, these fronts have been thought to be the site of the intermediate-temperature regions whose presence was inferred from O VI absorption-line studies. The front evolution was followed numerically, starting from the initial discontinuous temperature distribution between the hot and cold medium, and ending in the final cooling stage of the hot medium. It was found that, for the typical ISM pressure of 4000 K/cu cm and the hot medium temperature of 10 to the 6th K, the transition from evaporation to condensation in a nonmagnetized front occurs when the front thickness is 15 pc. This thickness is a factor of 5 smaller than previously estimated. The O VI column densities in both evaporative and condensation stages agree with observations if the initial hot medium temperature Th exceeds 750,000 K. Condensing conduction fronts give better agreement with observed O VI line profiles because of lower gas temperatures. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: June 1990 DOI: 10.1086/168784 Bibcode: 1990ApJ...355..501B Keywords: Interstellar Matter; Magnetohydrodynamics; Radiative Transfer; Thermal Conductivity; Absorption Spectra; Emission Spectra; Evolution (Development); Interstellar Magnetic Fields; Ultraviolet Spectra; X Rays; Astrophysics; HYDROMAGNETICS; INTERSTELLAR: MATTER full text sources ADS |