Analytic Modeling of CO Surface-Density Profiles in the M31 Molecular Clouds

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Autori principali: Keto, Eric, Lada, Charles, Frobrich, Jan
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Keto, Eric
Lada, Charles
Frobrich, Jan
author_facet Keto, Eric
Lada, Charles
Frobrich, Jan
contents Recent studies suggest that the density structure of turbulent molecular clouds in the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy, M31, aligns with expectations from hydrostatic equilibrium (HE) and virial equilibrium (VE). This study extends the study of the M31 clouds by matching their observed surface densities to a spatially-averaged solution of the Lane-Emden equation. The results affirm that the M31 molecular clouds exhibit density profiles expected from HE, further supporting the earlier conclusion that VE holds at all radii within the clouds. This study also discusses HE in the context of the turbulent interstellar medium, considering energy balance, cloud lifetimes, and the pressure of the interstellar medium. A comparison between the Galactic and extragalactic clouds indicates that both share similar dynamical states. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of the interplay between turbulence, gravitational stability, and cloud evolution in the molecular interstellar medium.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_06118
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Analytic Modeling of CO Surface-Density Profiles in the M31 Molecular Clouds
Keto, Eric
Lada, Charles
Frobrich, Jan
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Recent studies suggest that the density structure of turbulent molecular clouds in the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy, M31, aligns with expectations from hydrostatic equilibrium (HE) and virial equilibrium (VE). This study extends the study of the M31 clouds by matching their observed surface densities to a spatially-averaged solution of the Lane-Emden equation. The results affirm that the M31 molecular clouds exhibit density profiles expected from HE, further supporting the earlier conclusion that VE holds at all radii within the clouds. This study also discusses HE in the context of the turbulent interstellar medium, considering energy balance, cloud lifetimes, and the pressure of the interstellar medium. A comparison between the Galactic and extragalactic clouds indicates that both share similar dynamical states. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of the interplay between turbulence, gravitational stability, and cloud evolution in the molecular interstellar medium.
title Analytic Modeling of CO Surface-Density Profiles in the M31 Molecular Clouds
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.06118