Galactic Winds: Star Formation Halted by Powerful Outbursts

Over 100 normal galaxies have been observed emitting powerful galactic winds that can heat and drive away gas, halting star formation. These winds, previously observed in starburst galaxies, are made up of charged particles and hot and cold gas. The winds blow for tens of thousands of light years and can shut off intense star formation. Using emissions associated with magnesium atoms as a proxy, astronomers detected these winds in normal galaxies, showing that feedback from galactic winds operates in all large galaxies, including the Milky Way. The findings were published in the journal Nature.