Clustered supernovae versus the gaseous disk and halo

Abstract

The effects of clustered supernovae on the two-dimensional porosity parameter Q(2D) and the rates M-dot of mass injection of both hot and cold gas into the halo are reconsidered. The effects of high-absolute value z, low-density extension of the neutral gas layer are theoretically calculated and the distribution of H-alpha luminosities of extragalactic H II regions is observationally determined. These results are used to estimate the birth rate of star clusters having N supernovae as a function of N. A Galaxy-wide average of Q(2D) roughly 0.30 is obtained, corresponding to an area filling factor of 0.23. Area filling factors and mass injection rates into the halo due to breakthrough bubbles with large N are calculated for different types of galaxy. The calculations are related to the area covered by H I 'holes' and the area covered by giant H II regions. The effects of supernova clusters that are too small to produce breakthrough bubbles are discussed.