HI shells in the Leiden-Dwingeloo HI survey

An algorithm of an automatic search for HI shells is presentedand results of identifications in the Leiden-DwingelooHI survey are shown. An identification algorithm searches forlocal minima in channel maps, then creates 3-dimensional objects,HI holes. There is no a priori constraint on the shape of an HI hole, only the dimension criterion: dimensions of the structuremust lie in a preselected interval.When this algorithm is applied to the Leiden-Dwingeloo HI survey,it finds about 1000 structures, which are seen in 4 or more consecutivevelocity channels (Δ v ≥ 4 kms^-1. A total energy contained in all structures in the Milky Way is of theorder of 10⁵⁵ erg, which is less than the energy correspondingto the observed SNR. 80% of the energy contained in holes resides at low galactic z-coordinates, |z|<2 kpc.