Strength of Stellar Feedback Effects on GMC Populations

Determine how strongly stellar feedback affects the properties and population statistics of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) in star-forming disk galaxies.

Background

The paper contrasts feedback-regulated and turbulence-regulated theories of star formation, noting extensive observational support for feedback impacting the interstellar medium and molecular clouds. However, some simulation studies have suggested feedback may be too weak to significantly affect GMCs, often omitting key processes such as photo-ionization, stellar winds, and radiation pressure.

Motivated by these tensions, the authors set the goal of quantitatively reassessing the effectiveness of stellar feedback on GMCs within a realistic galactic context and explicitly identify the need to establish how strongly feedback influences GMC properties and populations.