%0 Generic
%A Tress, Robin G.
%C Heidelberg
%D 2021
%F heidok:31003
%R 10.11588/heidok.00031003
%T ISM dynamics in simulated galaxies: bridging the scales
%U https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/31003/
%X The interstellar medium (ISM) and in particular giant molecular clouds (GMCs) are complex and dynamic entities, shaped by internal and external agents like stellar feedback and the galactic environment in which they reside. The aim of this thesis is to model the ISM to understand the connection of the smallest GMC scales to the large galactic scales and study the role of the environment in regulating their dynamics. We perform high resolution hydrodynamic simulations of the ISM in peculiar and rather extreme galactic configurations where we can stress test the ISM response to these environments. Our ISM model and resolution is fine-tuned to capture all important GMC physics while still retaining the large dynamic range in spatial scales necessary to follow them in the galactic environment.  In the first part of this thesis I focus on the gas dynamics of an M51-like galaxy encounter. I describe how the interaction affects the global ISM and star formation properties and I proceed with an analysis of the cloud population.  In the second part the focus falls on the central barred region of a Milky Way model. I describe the complex gas flows in this extreme environment and analyse the properties of the molecular ISM and the resulting star formation. These simulations are valuable tools to interpret observational data of the region.