The masses, structure, and lifetimes of cold clouds in a high-resolution simulation of a low-metallicity starburst

Abstract

We present an analysis of the cold gas phase in a low-metallicity starburst generated in a high-resolution hydrodynamical simulation of a gas-rich dwarf galaxy merger as part of the griffin project. The simulations resolve (4 M gas phase mass resolution, 0.1 pc spatial resolution) the multiphase interstellar medium with a non-equilibrium chemical heating/cooling network at temperatures below 10 K. Massive stars are sampled individually and interact with the interstellar medium (ISM) through the formation of H ii regions and supernova explosions. In the extended starburst phase, the ISM is dominated by cold (