The small-scale structure of the Magellanic Stream

Abstract

We have mapped in neutral hydrogen (HI) two regions at the northern tip of the Magellanic Stream, known as MS V and MS VI, using the Arecibo telescope. The small-scale structure of the MS shows clumpy and head-tail morphology. The spatial power spectrum of this star-free intergalactic medium has a power-law behavior with the density slope of -3.8. A gradual steepening of the power-law slope is seen when increasing the thickness of velocity slices.