Description of star formation in the context of cosmological large-scale structure formation

The standard computational approach for modelling star formation processes is to follow up the thermal and density evolution of a considered gas regio n till the moment when the Jeans criterium is fulfilled, regardless of the existing small-scale (turbulent) motions in the gas. We consider a compleme ntary approach and claim that the fraction of star formation at small scale s is sufficiently well determined by the energy transport towards those sca les. The transformation of gravitational energy into kinetic energy during the evolution of the initial density perturbations causes an energy transfe r from large to small scales like a cascade. This kinetic energy feeds and supports the large turbulent eddies in the cool gas. We assume that a direc t relation exists between the energy amount dissipated during the star form ation processes being the final chain in the turbulent cascade and the ener gy input coming from the larger scales. This net energy transfer can be est imated by help of the considered numerical simulations. Using this indicato r for star formation we will be able to determine the evolution of the glob al and local distribution of the heavy elements during the cosmic evolution in our simulations.