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Session 123 - Galaxy Evolution: Dwarfs & Clusters.
Oral session, Saturday, January 10
Lincoln,

[123.01] Properties of Outflows from Dwarf Galaxies: Insights into the Evolution of the Star Formation Rate

Stellar winds and supernovae from massive stars have a strong impact on the interstellar medium. In dwarf galaxies, for example, the supernova explosions following a burst of star formation are predicted to drive any remaining interstellar gas out of the galaxy (Larson 1974; Dekel amp; Silk 1986). Uncertainties about the role of this feedback process -- and related but less violent activity -- in regulating the star formation rate in a galaxy pose a critical problem for theories of galaxy formation and evolution. I will present measurements of disk mass-loss rates in 15 nearby dwarf galaxies, examine the efficiency of mass ejection relative to the star formation rate, and discuss the effect of the halo potential on the fate of the outflowing gas.

Program listing for Saturday