Center for Astrophysics Research and Technologies Seminar Series
High-Mass Star and Cluster Formation in the Galaxy
Presented by Adam Ginsburg (NRAO)
Star formation is the most important driver of galaxy evolution. Massive stars, those producing ionizing radiation and supernovae, shape the interstellar medium. They heat the gas, drive turbulence, and destroy clouds. Despite their clear importance, we do not know exactly where, how, and how often these stars form - theories describing the star formation rate and initial mass function are incomplete and, in several parameters, unconstrained. I will present observations using ALMA and the JVLA showing snapshots of the ongoing star formation in some of the densest environments in our galaxy, including Orion, W51, and Sgr B2. On the largest scales, our observations suggest that many of the locally-derived star formation relations that appear consistent with extragalactic scaling relations are not consistent with all Galactic clouds. On smaller scales, Orion serves as our closest reference high-mass star-forming region, but it has several features that are unique among such regions. Comparing Orion to the more massive regions suggests that high-mass star formation is a very dynamic process, spending relatively little time in steady-state modes compared to low-mass star formation.
2:00 pm, Thursday, November 2, 2017
PAIS-2540, PAIS
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