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The interacting Magellanic System

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 July 2016

S. R. Wayte
S. R. Wayte*
Affiliation:
Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories, Private Bag, Weston Creek P.O., A.C.T. 2611, Australia

Abstract

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The Magellanic System is viewed focusing on the global interactions in the System. These give insight into its history and structure. The past orbits of the Magellanic Clouds (MCs) are examined. A tidal encounter between the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC, SMC) has almost certainly occurred within the last 109 yrs. This hypothesis is supported by the observed structure of the Magellanic System, and so is accepted. The Magellanic Stream is an indirect result of the tidal encounter which is crucial to understanding the Magellanic System. It is a complex interacting gas feature, bifurcated along its entire length with many anomalous velocity H I clouds alongside. The possible models for the Magellanic Stream are examined and here I propose that its origin is due to the collision of a multi-phase halo with the vast region of gas between the LMC and the SMC. In this respect the polar subsystem around our Galaxy is seen to be particularly important. The popular tidal model for the origin of the Magellanic Stream fails to satisfy key observational features, and is thus rejected.

Type
The LMC-SMC-Galaxy System
Information
Symposium - International Astronomical Union , Volume 148: The Magellanic Clouds , 1991 , pp. 447 - 452
Copyright
Copyright © Kluwer 1991 

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