Static equilibria of the interstellar gas in the presence of magnetic and gravitational fields

No exact self-consistent equilibrium calculations exist for (any model of) the system of the interstellar gas and the frozen-in magnetic field. On a large scale (approximately 1 kpc) this system is affected by the vertical galactic gravitational field, while on a small scale (approximately 1 pc) the self-gravitation of the gas comes into play and is responsible for the collapse of some clouds to form stars. Accessible equilibrium states are determined for the gas--field system on both of these scales. (U.S.)