Mapping Superbubbles across Extragalactic Environments

Theo O'Neill

Thursday, Dec. 5th, 16:10CET

Feedback-driven superbubbles are known to influence the progression of star formation and the evolution of the interstellar medium (ISM) on galactic scales. JWST has transformed our ability to resolve the precise geometry and local environments of superbubbles in nearby galaxies, but current methods for the identification of candidate bubbles are not easily scaleable and struggle to simultaneously map both superbubbles and their local environments (such as molecular clouds and filaments) in a self-consistent framework. We present a new method for the topological identification and geometric mapping of ISM structures in astronomical images. We apply this method to a sample of nearby galaxies observed with JWST by the PHANGS collaboration, and map the structure of 100,000 extragalactic superbubbles, molecular clouds, and filaments. We compare the properties of these structures to the properties of similar structures in the Solar Neighborhood. We discuss how superbubbles influence star formation and ISM structure across diverse galactic environments.