Massive Star Formation: Problems Ripe for Progress

【摘要】churchwell， Edward，“大质量恒星形成：有待改进的问题”，对大质量恒星形成中的几个关键问题进行了研究。恒星形成的最早阶段是模糊的，因此很难用观测来约束这一过程的理论。PI将使用甲基氰化物线发射作为探针来确定星周气体的物理状态。分子和远红外观测将用于构建和约束大质量恒星形成每个区域的光谱能量分布模型。此外，将尝试探测和成像非常接近大质量形成恒星的激波气体的分布。这部分项目的目的是通过经验检验两个相互竞争的概念，即星团中的大质量恒星是如何形成的，即通过吸积或恒星合并。该项目由美国国家科学基金会恒星天文学和天体物理学项目（AST/SAA）提供资金。

ABSTRACTChurchwell, Edward"Massive Star Formation: Problems Ripe for Progress"AST-9986548An investigation of several key problems in massive star formation is proposed. The earliest stages of star formation are obscured and it is therefore difficult to observationally constrain theories for the process. The PI will use the methyl cyanide line emission as a probe to determine the physical state of circumstellar gas. Molecular and far infrared observations will be used to construct and constrain models for the spectral energy distributions for each region of massive star formation. In addition, attempts will be made to detect and image the distribution of shocked gas very near the massive forming stars. The purpose of this part of the project is to empirically test the two competing notions of how massive stars in clusters form, i.e. by accretion or by stellar mergers.Funding for this project was provided by the NSF program for Stellar Astronomy & Astrophysics (AST/SAA).