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Colliding galaxies and the rapid assembly of clouds into proto-super star clusters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2010

Guillermo Tenorio-Tagle
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica Optica y Electrónica, AP 51, 72000 Puebla, Mexico email: gtt@inaoep.mx
Enrique Pérez
Affiliation:
Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), Camino bajo de Huetor 50, E-18080 Granada, Spain
Casiana Muñoz-Tuñón
Affiliation:
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, E-38200 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
Sergiy Silich
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica Optica y Electrónica, AP 51, 72000 Puebla, Mexico email: gtt@inaoep.mx
Jan Palouš
Affiliation:
Astronomical Institute, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Boční II 1401, 141 31 Prague, Czech Republic
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Abstract

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We present a short summary of several 2D hydrodynamic calculations that suggest that upon the collision of galaxies two physical mechanisms lead to the formation of proto-super star clusters. These are condensation, induced by radiative cooling, and implosion caused by the shocked intercloud medium. Even in the absence of gravity, these lead to storage and compression of the dense cloud component into massive and compact gravitationally unstable condensations. The resulting entities exhibit enhanced surface densities that are several hundred times higher than their initial values. These are here postulated as the cradles of very efficient and rapid star-formation episodes, able to withstand the negative feedback effects associated with star formation, while leading to the formation of massive and compact super star clusters.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2010

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