What is the hottest major phase of the ISM, reaching temperatures between $10^6$ and $10^7$ Kelvin?
Answer
Coronal Gas
The Interstellar Medium exists in several distinct phases characterized by extreme temperature variations. The Coronal Gas represents the hottest component found in the vast regions separating the denser clouds. This extremely tenuous gas is heated to temperatures ranging from one million to ten million Kelvin, primarily due to the tremendous energy injection resulting from massive star explosions known as supernovae. This heat contrasts sharply with the much cooler phases, such as Molecular Clouds, which hover near absolute zero.
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