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Induction of Microstreaming by Nonspherical Bubble Oscillations in an Acoustic Levitation System
Published on: May 9, 2021
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A large, long-lived, slowly-expanding superbubble across the Perseus arm
Bingqiu Chen1, Guangxing Li2, Haibo Yuan3,4
1South-Western Institute for Astronomy Research, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, P. R. China. bchen@ynu.edu.cn.
Nature Communications
|November 26, 2025
Summary
Stellar feedback drives galactic evolution, creating superbubbles like the Giant Oval Cavity. Repeated supernovae sustain its growth against galactic forces, revealing a stable structure shaped by stellar energy and galactic dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Galactic Evolution
- Stellar Dynamics
Background:
- Stellar feedback, particularly from massive stars, is a key driver of galactic evolution.
- Superbubbles, vast cavities carved by stellar winds and supernovae, are observed throughout galaxies, including with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
- Understanding the formation and stability of these structures is crucial for modeling galaxy growth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the dynamics and stability of the Milky Way's largest known superbubble, the Giant Oval Cavity.
- To determine the role of stellar feedback and galactic environmental factors in maintaining the superbubble.
- To compare the Giant Oval Cavity with other observed superbubbles, such as the Phantom Bubble.
Main Methods:
- Combined data from Gaia and LAMOST to create a sample of young O-B2 stars with 3D velocity information.
- Focused analysis on the periphery of the Giant Oval Cavity.
- Calculated stellar velocities, crossing times, expansion timescales, survival timescales, supernova intervals, and Galactic shear timescales.
Main Results:
- Identified groups of O-B2 stars at the superbubble's edge with significant transverse (25.8 km/s) and expansion (6.2 km/s) velocities.
- Determined timescales: crossing time (~20 Myr), expansion time (~80 Myr), survival time (~250 Myr), supernova interval (~0.1 Myr), and shear time (~30 Myr).
- Found that the supernova interval is shorter than the shear and survival timescales, indicating continuous energy replenishment.
Conclusions:
- The Giant Oval Cavity is a large, quasi-stationary superbubble.
- Supernovae provide sufficient energy and momentum to maintain the bubble against ambient pressure and Galactic shear.
- The stability of the superbubble results from the interplay between powerful stellar feedback and galactic disk dynamics, similar to JWST-observed structures.
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