Violent Wind Blows Gas from the Heart of a Starburst Galaxy

A violent wind blown from the heart of a galaxy may tell researchers a bit more about a past merger. Scientists have revealed the detailed structure of an absolutely massive ionized gas outflow streaming from the starburst galaxy NGC 6240.

The ionized gas that the astronomers observed extends across 300,000 light-years and is carried out of the galaxy by a powerful superwind. This wind is drive by intense, star-forming activity at the galactic center. The light-collecting power and high spatial resolution of Subaru Telescope made it possible to study the complex structure of one of the largest known superwinds being drive by star birth and star death.

Starburst activity is a very important part of galaxy evolution. When a starburst occurs, the intense episode star formation rapidly consumes the galaxy's interstellar gas. In addition, ultraviolet light from newborn massive stars as well as gas heating and ram pressure from supernova explosions blows much of a galaxy's gas away into intergalactic space. This galactic-scale energetic wind is called a "galactic wind" or "superwind."

In this case, the metal-rich gas expelled from the galaxy's disk pollutes its halo as well as intergalactic space. In addition, starburst and starburst-driven wind affect the evolution of the galaxy and the gas outside the galaxy.

In this latest study, the deep observation of the object revealed a complex giant ionized gas nebula surrounding NGC 6240. This nebula extended out about 300,000 light-years and contained complicated structures. The researchers also found that the galaxy from which this object was emitted had experienced violent starbursts at least three times in the past and each starburst drove an energetic superwind.

The findings reveal a bit more about starburst galaxies and what happens to gas ejected from them.

Related Articles

Jupiter May Not be Earth's Planetary Shield, But it May Have Helped Seed Life

Juno Spacecraft Burns Towards Jupiter

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).