Effect of pressure in a nebula?

In summary, the conversation discusses the challenges of simulating galaxies accurately in an n-body simulation and the idea of adding a hydrodynamics simulation to improve the accuracy. The question is raised about the pressure inside a nebula and the potential time scales for its significant force. The speaker also mentions the use of an SPH/compressible flow simulation and suggests looking at GADGET as a reference.
  • #1
NeuroFuzzy
8
0
So... I'm trying my hand at programming an n-body simulation. For those of you unfamiliar, that is a simulation where every body attracts every other body. I have something effectively like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byI9yhITDsM"

But now... these straightforward n-body simulations seem to do a poor job of simulating galaxies. There's no "gas" behavior, and so most of the time whatever I simulate tends to form a globular cluster, and it tends to stay that way.

Now, from what I've gathered, milky-way style systems (that tend to have most of their mass on a plane) tend to form because of gas<->gas interactions during the formation of the system. So I'm thinking about adding in a hydrodynamics simulation to more accurately describe the system. My question is: What is the pressure inside a nebula, and over what time scales would the force of this pressure be significant?

I'm planning on using an SPH/compressible flow simulation.
 
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  • #2
Kudos to you sir. If you're not familiar with it, you might want to take a look at GADGET---just as a reference / inspiration.

The pressure varies greatly based on the type of nebula, and the location inside of it. Generally the dynamical timescale is the one of interest.

A situation you might want to consider is a (small) globular cluster, and think about its interactions with the galactic disk. You could treat the gas component in terms of its effects alone (e.g. dynamical friction) instead of actually modelling it---which makes it much more complicated.

I'm not familiar with any attempts in particular, but it seems like it would be difficult to treat the gas with SPH while preserving each star as an independent, single, body.
 

1. How does pressure affect the formation of a nebula?

The pressure within a nebula can greatly impact its formation and evolution. As the gas and dust particles within the nebula are compressed by pressure, they can become more dense and eventually collapse under their own gravity. This collapse can lead to the formation of stars and planetary systems within the nebula.

2. What is the role of pressure in the expansion of a nebula?

The expansion of a nebula can also be influenced by pressure. As the gas and dust particles within the nebula are pushed outward by the pressure from nearby stars or supernova explosions, they can expand and create shock waves that help to trigger the formation of new stars.

3. How does pressure affect the temperature of a nebula?

The temperature of a nebula is directly related to the pressure within it. As the gas particles are compressed by pressure, they can release energy in the form of heat. This can lead to an increase in temperature within the nebula, which can have a significant impact on the chemical reactions and physical processes taking place within it.

4. Can pressure cause a nebula to collapse?

Yes, pressure can cause a nebula to collapse under its own gravity. As the gas and dust particles become more dense and compact due to pressure, their gravitational pull on each other becomes stronger. This can eventually lead to the formation of protostars and, in some cases, even trigger the formation of multiple stars within the same nebula.

5. How do scientists measure the pressure within a nebula?

There are several ways in which scientists can measure the pressure within a nebula. One common method is to use spectroscopy, which involves analyzing the light emitted by the nebula to determine the temperature and pressure of the gas particles. Other techniques, such as observations of shock waves and gas motions, can also provide valuable information about the pressure within a nebula.

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