Dusty Galactic Outflow Simulations

These movies are from Richie & Schneider (2026), where we used high-resolution simulations of star-forming disk galaxies to follow dust of different sizes as it is launched into multi-phase galactic outflows by stellar feedback. We compared two models with different star formation rates and star cluster distributions to see how much dust survives sputtering on its way out of the galaxy.

high-z model

Evolution of 1, 0.1, 0.01, and 0.001 micron radius dust grains (from left to right) under sputtering in a multi-phase galactic outflow. The galaxy has a star formation rate of 20 solar masses per year, with clusters distribuetd throughout the disk at a scale radius of 800 pc.

nuclear-burst model

Evolution of 1, 0.1, 0.01, and 0.001 micron radius dust grains (from left to right) under sputtering in a multi-phase galactic outflow. The galaxy has a star formation rate of 5 solar masses per year and centrally concentrated star clusters, distrbuted at a scale radius of 300 pc in the disk.

nuclear-burst disk-halo interface

Gas (top) and 0.001 micron dust (bottom) density projections at the disk-halo interface of the nuclear-burst simulation.

Dusty Cloud-Wind Simulations

These movies are from Richie et al. (2024), where we simulated individual dusty clouds in hot galactic winds to understand how dust survives sputtering in these environments. Whether a cloud survives or is destroyed depends on how the cooling time of the gas mixed between the cloud and wind compares to the time for the wind to shear the cloud apart.

Destroyed Cloud

The mixed-phase cooling time is much longer than the shear time.

Survived Cloud

The mixed-phase cooling time is short compared to the shear time.

Disrupted Cloud

The mixed-phase cooling time is comparable to the shear time.