Regulation of Star Formation Rates in Multiphase Galactic Disks: Numerical Tests of the Thermal/Dynamical Equilibrium Model

Using two-dimensional numerical hydrodynamic simulations, we investigate the regulation of star ormation rates in turbulent, multiphase, galactic gaseous disks. Our simulation domain is xisymmetric, and local in the radial direction and global in the vertical direction. Our models nclude galactic rotation, vertical stratification, self-gravity, heating and cooling, and thermal onduction. Turbulence in our models is driven by momentum feedback from supernova events ccurring in localized dense regions formed by thermal and gravitational instabilities. Self-onsistent radiative heating, representing enhanced/reduced FUV photons from the star formation, s also taken into account. Evolution of our model disks is highly dynamic, but reaches a quasi-teady state. The disks are overall in effective hydrostatic equilibrium with the midplane thermal ressure set by the vertical gravity. The star formation rate is found to be proportional pproximately linearly to the midplane thermal pressure. These results are in good agreement with the predictions of a recent theory by Ostriker, McKee, and Leroy (2010) for the thermal/dynamic equilibrium model of star formation regulation.