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Cosmic Ray- and Thermal-Pressure Driven Winds: Does the Milky Way Host a Kpc-Scale Outflow?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 September 2012

J. Everett ,
E. Zweibel ,
B. Benjamin ,
D. McCammon ,
Q. Schiller ,
L. Rocks  and
J.S. Gallagher III
J. Everett
Affiliation:
Departments of Physics & Astronomy, Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison, and Center for Magnetic Self-Organization in Laboratory and Space Plasmas, USA
E. Zweibel
Affiliation:
Departments of Physics & Astronomy, Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison, and Center for Magnetic Self-Organization in Laboratory and Space Plasmas, USA
B. Benjamin
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Univ. of Wisconsin–Whitewater, USA
D. McCammon
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison, USA
Q. Schiller
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison, USA
L. Rocks
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison, USA
J.S. Gallagher III
Affiliation:
Department of Astronomy, Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison, USA
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Abstract

We show that the X-ray emission observed towards the center of our Milky Way Galaxy is consistent with a strong (2.1 M⊙/yr) outflow powered by both cosmic-ray pressure and thermal-gas pressure. In addition, the inferred launch parameters of such an outflow seem consistent with conditions inferred in the central Milky Way and other galaxies (although it is not clear if a significant vertical magnetic field exists in the center of the Galaxy). We also show that in galaxies with cosmic-ray pressure, gas pressure, and a vertical magnetic field component, cosmic-ray pressure can yield outflows over a wider range of conditions.

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