In the context of galaxy mergers, what effect does the energy dumped into the interstellar medium have on star formation?
Answer
It elevates gas temperature above the critical threshold for molecular cloud formation.
The energy released during violent mergers heats the gas significantly, pushing its temperature well above the critical threshold required for molecular clouds to condense and form new stars.
Related Questions
What nickname is given to elliptical galaxies due to their low current star formation rates?What is the main reason elliptical galaxies cease forming stars (quenching)?What structural features do elliptical galaxies generally lack compared to spiral galaxies?In the context of galaxy mergers, what effect does the energy dumped into the interstellar medium have on star formation?How does Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) feedback regulate star formation in massive galaxies?What process, linked to movement through a dense cluster's hot medium, physically sweeps away a galaxy's cool gas?What causes the characteristic reddish hue observed in quenched elliptical galaxies?What can a relatively low metallicity in some massive ellipticals suggest about their formation history?Besides gas removal, what structural characteristic of an elliptical galaxy inhibits future star production?When charting the cold gas fraction ($ ext{M}_{ ext{gas}} / ext{M}_{ ext{star}}$) against galaxy mass, where do massive ellipticals typically reside?