Infrared Survey of Protostellar Outflow Activity

原恒星流出活动的红外调查

• 批准号: 0709004
• 负责人: Remy Indebetouw
• 金额: $ 34.72万
• 依托单位: University of Virginia Main Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-09-15 至 2011-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0709004&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Infrared; Survey; Protostellar; Outflow; Activity

Understanding star formation requires that one understand the physical conditions in molecular clouds - the nature of turbulent motions that can oppose gravity, the effects that newborn stars have on their natal clouds, and the physics and chemistry of dust and molecules. Outflows from protostars are a primary candidate for driving turbulent motions in star-forming clouds, and the shocks from those outflows can significantly alter chemistry, temperature, density, and dust properties. To this end, Drs. Remy Indebetouw and Michael Skrutskie (University of Virginia) and Michael Meyer (University of Arizona) will carry out a near-infrared survey of protostellar outflow activity to better understand the mechanical feedback of protostars on their natal molecular clouds. Narrow-band images of 16 star formation regions will be obtained, simultaneously in emission lines from Fe+ (at 1.257 and 1.644 microns), and H2 (at 2.122 microns). The regions will be chosen to span protostellar mass, evolutionary state, and environment. These measurements will provide a complete survey of atomic (stronger) and molecular (weaker) shocks in each star-forming cloud.This research will result in a data legacy, a hardware/facility legacy, and education and training. Calibrated narrow-band images will be made publicly available. An astronomy postdoc and several undergraduate and graduate students will receive training on instrumentation, large project design and implementation, and observing techniques, as well as star formation physics. The survey will be carried out by combining an existing camera (the Two-Micron All Sky Survey camera, currently in storage) and telescope (the Steward 61-inch on Mt. Bigelow) to enable interesting science at modest cost. At the same time, making available a capable bright-time instrument on a well-maintained telescope that is currently used primarily during dark time will provide a useful new facility for the community. The 61-inch telescope is also used by the University of Arizona's "Astronomy Camp", which offers science and engineering astronomy experience to teens, adults, and educators. Infrared observing offers an interesting contrast in technique to optical observing, so this project will expand the opportunities and educational activities. This project will specifically fund a Virginia teacher to attend the Camp, work with this hardware and science, and then return to work with Dr. Indebetouw to be a lead astronomy educator, spreading their experience and knowledge to other local teachers.

要了解星星的形成，就必须了解分子云的物理条件--可以对抗重力的湍流运动的性质、新生恒星对其纳塔尔云的影响，以及尘埃和分子的物理和化学性质。来自原恒星的外流是驱动恒星形成云中湍流运动的主要候选者，这些外流的冲击可以显着改变化学，温度，密度和尘埃特性。 为此，雷米因德贝图博士和迈克尔·斯克鲁茨基博士（弗吉尼亚大学）以及迈克尔·迈耶博士（亚利桑那大学）将对原恒星外流活动进行近红外线调查，以更好地了解原恒星对其纳塔尔分子云的机械反馈。将获得16个星星形成区的窄带图像，同时在Fe+（1.257和1.644微米）和H2（2.122微米）的发射线中。这些区域将被选择为跨越原恒星质量，进化状态和环境。这些测量将提供对每个恒星形成云中原子（较强）和分子（较弱）冲击的完整调查，这项研究将产生数据遗产、硬件/设施遗产以及教育和培训。 经校准的窄带图像将公开提供。 一名天文学博士后和几名本科生和研究生将接受仪器仪表、大型项目设计和实施、观测技术以及星星形成物理学方面的培训。 该调查将通过结合现有的相机（2微米全天空调查相机，目前在存储）和望远镜（管家61英寸的山。Bigelow）以适度的成本实现有趣的科学。与此同时，在目前主要在黑暗时期使用的维护良好的望远镜上提供一个有能力的亮时仪器将为社区提供一个有用的新设施。亚利桑那大学的“天文营”也使用61英寸的望远镜，为青少年，成人和教育工作者提供科学和工程天文学经验。 红外观测提供了一个有趣的对比技术光学观测，所以这个项目将扩大的机会和教育活动。该项目将专门资助一名弗吉尼亚州的教师参加营地，使用这些硬件和科学，然后返回与Indebetouw博士一起工作，成为一名领先的天文学教育家，将他们的经验和知识传播给其他当地教师。