Using Numerical Simulations to Gain Insight into the Structure of Superbubbles

Abstract

Recent high resolution observations of Galactic superbubbles have motivated us to re-examine several classes of superbubble models. We compare three classes of hydrodynamic models (the Kompaneets approximation, the thin shell model, and numerical simulations) in order to understand the structure of superbubbles and to gain insight into observations. In particular, we apply models to the W4 superbubble, which has been observed in the Pilot project of the arcminute resolution Canadian Galactic Plane Survey (Normandeau et al. 1996). Magnetohydrodynamic simulations are also performed and point the way to a fuller understanding of the W4 superbubble. We suggest that the highly collimated bubble and apparent lack of a Rayleigh-Taylor instability in the superbubble shell can be explained by the presence of a magnetic field.