In a recent observation, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has documented a close interaction between the Milky Way and one of its nearest galactic neighbors, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). This recent analysis of the LMC, led by Andrew Fox of the European Space Agency’s Space Telescope Science Institute (STSCI) in Baltimore, reveals the effects of its near-collision with the galaxy’s giant halo, including significant changes in the LMC’s own halo. Shortage is also included. Of gas.
LMC’s halo: a surprising measurement
For the first time, Hubble data allowed researchers to measure the extent of the LMC’s halo, now estimated to be 50,000 light years across, significantly smaller than other galaxies of similar mass. This contraction of the halo, Fox explained, points to the effects of the LMC’s encounter with the galaxy, which stripped away a large portion of its outer gas layer. Despite these losses, the LMC still has enough gas to form new stars, adding resiliency to the otherwise depleted dwarf galaxy.
RAM-Pressure Stripping: The Forces at Play
A process known as ram-pressure stripping is responsible for the LMC’s halo loss. As the LMC approached the galaxy, the gravitational influence of the larger galaxy caused a “wind” effect, causing the LMC’s gas to flow back into a tail-like stream that now follows the galaxy. Sapna Mishra, lead author of the paper, compared this force to a powerful “hair dryer” that blows away the LMC’s gas. However, this gas is not expected to be completely destroyed, as the galaxy begins to move away from the galaxy after passing at its closest.
Future research and cosmic implications
As the team progresses, plans are made to study the leading edge of the LMC’s halo, which remains largely unknown. Scott Lucchini of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard and Smithsonian commented that this research will focus on collision points between the two haloes, which will provide insight into the nature of galactic interactions in the early days of the universe.
