Galactic Winds

Annu. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 2005. 43: 769-826
Copyright © 2005 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved

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Sylvain Veilleux ¹, Gerald Cecil ², and Joss Bland-Hawthorn ³

¹ Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742
² Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3255
³ Anglo-Australian Observatory, Epping, New South Wales, Australia

Abstract. Galactic winds are the primary mechanism by which energy and metals are recycled in galaxies and are deposited into the intergalactic medium. New observations are revealing the ubiquity of this process, particularly at high redshift. We describe the physics behind these winds, discuss the observational evidence for them in nearby star-forming and active galaxies and in the high-redshift universe, and consider the implications of energetic winds for the formation and evolution of galaxies and the intergalactic medium. To inspire future research, we conclude with a set of observational and theoretical challenges.

Key words : galaxies: evolution - galaxies: halos - galaxies: intergalactic medium - galaxies: kinematics and dynamics - galaxies: nuclei

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