INTERSTELLAR ENVIRONMENTS IN THE LARGEMAGELLANIC CLOUD

We present the results of an H I aperture synthesis mosaic of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), made by combining data from 1344 separate pointing centers using the Australia Telescope Compact' Array (ATCA) and the Parkes multibeam receiver. The resolution of the mosaiced images is 50" (<15 pc, using a distance to the LMC of 55kpc). This mosaic, with a spatial resolution .15 times higher than that which had been previously obtained, emphasises the turbulent and fractal structure of the ISM on the small scale, resulting from the dynamical feedback of the star formation processes with the ISM. We also have done a widefield panoramic survey of H$\alpha$ emission from the Magellanic Clouds with an imager mounted on the 16-inch telescope at Siding Spring Observatory. This survey produced H$\alpha$ images which are equal to the ATCA survey in area coverage and resolution. This survey allows us to produce a continuum-subtracted image of the entire LMC. In contrast with its appearance in the H$\alpha$ image, the LMC is remarkably symmetric in H I on the largest scales, with the bulk of the H I residing in a disk of diameter 8. $^{\circ}4$ (7.3 kpc) and a spiral structure is clearly seen. The structure of the neutral atomic ISM in the LMC is dominated by H I filaments combined with numerous shells and holes.