Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Modeling the Local Interstellar Medium

  • Published:
Astrophysics and Space Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The state of our observational and theoretical knowledge of the localinterstellar medium (LISM) is reviewed. The LISM stretches out from thelocal Cloud, surrounding the solar system to the boundary of the LocalBubble, which is a region of distinct anticorrelation between HI (N H< 1020 cm-2) and 1/4 keV diffuse soft X-rays. After discussingsome key observations in soft X-rays, obtained by ROSAT and DXS, and inthe EUV by the EUVE satellite and the EURD instrument onboard Minisat, Iwill critically review models of the LISM. Since we cannot determine theplasma state (temperature, density, etc.) directly, the best plasmadiagnostic tool is high resolution spectroscopy. The interpretationof the data then has to rely heavily on plasma emission models. I willpoint out several caveats in the standard procedure. Preference is givento dynamical models of the Local Bubble in general and to non-equilibriumplasma emission models in particular, which have to be calculatedself-consistently. Such a model can explain (i) the deficiency of EUVlines as observed by EUVE, (ii) the dispersion measure and scintillationproperties of a nearby pulsar, (iii) the existence of local neutral HIclouds, and (iv) OVI absorption line widths. New model spectra of theLISM will be presented and briefly compared with DXS, EUVE and preliminaryEURD results.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bhat, N.D.R., Gupta, Y. and Rao, A.P.: 1998, Astrophys. J. 500, 262.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bochkarev, N.G.: 1987, Astrophys. Space Sci. 138, 229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Böhringer, H.: 1998, in: D. Breitschwerdt, M.J. Freyberg and J. Trümper (eds.), The Local Bubble and Beyond, IAU Coll. 166, Lecture Notes in Physics 506, 341.

  • Bowyer, C.S., Field, G.B. and Mack, J.E.: 1968, Nature 217, 32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowyer, S.: 1998, in: D. Breitschwerdt, M.J. Freyberg and J. Trümper (eds.), The Local Bubble and Beyond, IAU Coll. 166, Lecture Notes in Physics 506, 45.

  • Breitschwerdt, D.: 1996, Space Sci. Rev. 78, 173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Breitschwerdt, D., et al.: 1996, Space Sci. Rev. 78, 183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Breitschwerdt, D., Freyberg, M.J. and Egger, R.E.: 1999, Astron. Astrophys. (submitted).

  • Breitschwerdt, D., Freyberg, M.J. and Trümper (eds.): 1998, The Local Bubble and Beyond, IAU Coll. 166, Lecture Notes in Physics 506.

  • Breitschwerdt, D. and Schmutzler, T.: 1994, Nature 371, 774.

    Google Scholar 

  • Breitschwerdt, D. and Schmutzler, T.: 1999, Astron. Astrophys. 347, 650.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caraveo, P.A., Bignami, G.F., Mignami, R. and Taff, L.G.: 1996, Astrophys. J. Lett. 461.

  • Cox, D.P.: 1998, in: D. Breitschwerdt, M.J. Freyberg and J. Trümper (eds.), The Local Bubble and Beyond, IAU Coll. 166, Lecture Notes in Physics 506, 121.

  • Cox, D.P. and Anderson, P.R.: 1982, Astrophys. J. 253, 268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox, D.P. and Reynolds, R.J.: 1987, Annu. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 25, 303.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cravens, T.E.: 1997, Geophys. Res. Lett. 24, 105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, C.J., Jewell, S.J. and Ponman, T.J.: 1995, Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 274, 589.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickey, J.M. and Lockman, F.J.: 1990, Annu. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 28, 215.

    Google Scholar 

  • Egger, R.J. and Aschenbach, B.: 1995, Astron. Astrophys. 294, L25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freyberg, M.J.: 1998, in: D. Breitschwerdt, M.J. Freyberg and J. Trümper (eds.), The Local Bubble and Beyond, IAU Coll. 166, Lecture Notes in Physics 506, 113.

  • Freyberg, M.J. and Schmitt, J.H.M.M.: 1998, in: D. Breitschwerdt, M.J. Freyberg and J. Trümper (eds.), The Local Bubble and Beyond, IAU Coll. 166, Lecture Notes in Physics 506, 311.

  • Frisch, P.C.: 1995, Space Sci. Rev. 72, 499.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frisch, P.L. and York, D.G.: 1983, Astrophys. J. 271, L59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fruscione, A., Hawkins, I., Jelinsky, P. and Wiecigroch, A.: 1994, Astrophys. J. Suppl. 94, 127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gehrels, N. and Chen, W.: 1993, Nature 361, 706.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gry, C., York, D.G. and Vidal-Madjar, A.: 1985, Astrophys. J. 296, 593.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasinger, G., et al.: 1993, Astron. Astrophys. 275, 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Innes, D.E. and Hartquist, T.W.: 1984, Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 209, 7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jakobsen, P. and Kahn, S.M.: 1986, Astrophys. J. 309, 682.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jelinsky, P., Vallerga, J.V. and Edelstein, J.: 1995, Astrophys. J. 442, 653.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins, E.B. and Meloy, D.A.: 1974, Astrophys. J. 193, L121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lallement, R.: 1998, in: D. Breitschwerdt, M.J. Freyberg and J. Trümper (eds.), The Local Bubble and Beyond, IAU Coll. 166, Lecture Notes in Physics 506, 19.

  • Lisse, C.M., et al.: 1996, Science 274, 205.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCammon, D., Burrows, D.N., Sanders, W.T. and Kraushaar, W.L.: 1983, Astrophys. J. 269, 107.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCammon, D. and Sanders, W.T.: 1990, Annu. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 28, 657.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanders, W.T., Edgar, R.J., Liedahl, D.A. and Morgenthaler, J.P.: 1998, in: D. Breitschwerdt, M.J. Freyberg and J. Trümper (eds.), The Local Bubble and Beyond, IAU Coll. 166, Lecture Notes in Physics 506, 83.

  • Sanders, W.T., Kraushaar, W.L., Nousek, J.A., and Fried, P.M.: 1977, Astrophys. J. 217, 87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R.K. and Cox, D.P.: 1998, in: D. Breitschwerdt, M.J. Freyberg and J. Trümper (eds.), The Local Bubble and Beyond, IAU Coll. 166, Lecture Notes in Physics 506, 133.

  • Snowden, S.L.: 1996, in: Röntgenstrahlung from the Universe, MPE-Report 263, 299.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snowden, S.L.: 1998, in: D. Breitschwerdt, M.J. Freyberg and J. Trümper (eds.), The Local Bubble and Beyond, IAU Coll. 166, Lecture Notes in Physics 506, 103.

  • Snowden, S.L., Cox, D.P., McCammon, D. and Sanders, W.T.: 1990, Astrophys. J. 354, 211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snowden, S.L., et al.: 1997, Astrophys. J. 485, 125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snowden, S.L., et al.: 1991, Science 252, 1529.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snowden, S.L., McCammon, D. and Verter, F.: 1993, Astrophys. J. 409, 21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tanaka, Y. and Bleeker, J.A.M.: 1977, Space Sci. Rev. 20, 815.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vallerga, J. and Slavin, J.: 1998, in: D. Breitschwerdt, M.J. Freyberg and J. Trümper (eds.), The Local Bubble and Beyond, IAU Coll. 166, Lecture Notes in Physics 506, 79.

  • Welsh, B.Y., Crifo, F. and Lallement, R.: 1998, Astron. Astrophys. 333, 101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Witte, M., Banaskievicz, M. and Rosenbauer, H.: 1996, Space Sci. Rev. 78, 289.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Heisenberg Fellow, Germany

    Dieter Breitschwerdt

  2. Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, Postfach 1603, D-85740, Garching, Germany

    Dieter Breitschwerdt

Authors
  1. Dieter Breitschwerdt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Breitschwerdt, D. Modeling the Local Interstellar Medium. Astrophysics and Space Science 276, 163–176 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011669508968

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011669508968

Keywords

Search

Navigation