TAPIR Seminar

Friday, February 25, 2022

2:00pm to 3:00pm

Online Event

Gas dynamics, inflow and star formation in centre of the Milky Way

Mattia Sormani, Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, Universität Heidelberg,

To Join via Zoom

https://caltech.zoom.us/j/89695722750

I will give an introduction to gas dynamics and star formation in the central region (R<3kpc) of the Milky Way. This region is dominated by the strongly non-axisymmetric gravitational potential of the Galactic bar. After reviewing the basic theoretical tools, I will discuss several topics including (1) how to interpret the observed longitude-velocity maps of CO, HI and other interstellar gas tracers; (2) how we can use this to constrain the properties of the Galactic bar; (iii) how the gas is driven inwards from the Galactic disc (R~3kpc) down to the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ, R~120pc) and then to the central black hole SgrA*; (iv) the spatial and temporal distribution of star formation in the CMZ; (v) the structure and formation of the Nuclear Stellar Disc, a flattened high-density stellar structure that dominates the gravitational potential of the Milky Way at 30<R<300pc.

For more information, please contact JoAnn Boyd by phone at 626-395-4280 or by email at [email protected].

Event Series

TAPIR Seminar Series

Event Sponsors

Theoretical AstroPhysics Including Relativity and Cosmology (TAPIR) More Events from this Sponsor