Astrophysics (Index)About

Local Bubble

(Local Cavity)
(ISM shell in which the solar system resides)

The Local Bubble (aka Local Cavity) is a Milky Way bubble in which the solar system resides, a volume within the interstellar medium (ISM) about 300 light-year across, that has a lower density (0.05 atoms/cm³ versus 0.5 atoms/cm³)) and higher temperature (millions K) than the average surrounding it. Within the Local Bubble are volumes (clouds) with somewhat higher density, the solar system within but near the edge of the Local Interstellar Cloud (LIC or Local Fluff) which is about 30 ly across, a density of about 0.3 atoms/cm³ and a temperature of about 7000 K. The solar system is passing through the Local Interstellar Cloud, the trip across taking on the order of 100,000 years.


(shell,local)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_Bubble
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_Interstellar_Cloud
https://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/L/Local_Bubble.html
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1996SSRv...75..511E/abstract
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2022Natur.601..334Z/abstract

Referenced by pages:
Local Interstellar Cloud (LIC)
shell

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