Theoretical and Observational Constraints on the Initial Stages of Star Formation

Leslie W.Looney博士和Telemachos CH.Mouschvias(芝加哥大学香槟分校)将融合最先进的观测调查和尖端理论模型，以更好地约束恒星形成的理论参数。它们将直接解决现代恒星形成中的主要争议，即哪种机制是启动低质量恒星形成的主要机制，磁性(双极)扩散或可压缩湍流。为此，他们将把核心形成和坍塌的理论与最新的观测数据结合起来。这一结果将为我们对恒星形成的理论理解提供直接而独特的测试。要了解恒星形成的过程，本质上就是了解我们自己和我们在宇宙中的位置。然而，尽管从理论上和观测上研究了几十年，恒星形成过程的细节仍然难以捉摸。该项目的研究目标将广泛影响天文学领域，并促进伊利诺伊大学研究恒星形成的两个强大的观测和理论小组之间更紧密和更富有成效的合作。发展一个稳健的恒星形成理论，不仅与现有的观测相一致，而且还具有预测能力，对于解释其他星系的观测结果以及加深我们对星系形成和演化的理解至关重要。此外，这种协同作用将为UIUC的本科生和研究生的科学教学带来正在进行的科学研究、发现和兴奋。这项研究将有助于培训和教育下一代学生在良好的天文观测技术和扎实的理论计算和应用。此外，还将生成一个调查数据库和理论模型，并将其发布给社区。这些信息将是容易获取的形式，并将允许其他小组更直接地将他们自己的工作与这项研究产生的样本进行比较。

Drs. Leslie W. Looney and Telemachos Ch. Mouschovias (University of Chicago Urbana-Champaign, UIUC) will fuse a state-of-the-art observational survey and cutting-edge theoretical models to better constrain the theoretical parameters of star formation. They will address directly the main controversy in modern star formation as to which is the dominant mechanism that initiates low-mass star formation, magnetic (ambipolar) diffusion or compressible turbulence. To this end, they will combine the theory of core formation and collapse with the latest observational data. The result will provide direct and unique tests of our theoretical understanding of star formation. To understand the process of star formation is to essentially understand ourselves and our place in the Universe. However, the details of the star formation process remain elusive, despite being studied both theoretically and observationally for many decades. The research goals in this project will broadly impact the field of astronomy, as well as promote a closer and more fruitful collaboration between two strong groups, observational and theoretical, working on star formation at the University of Illinois. The development of a robust theory of star formation, that will not only be in agreement with existing observations but will also have predictive power, is critical for the interpretation of observations of other galaxies and for furthering our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution. Furthermore, this synergy will alight ongoing scientific research, discovery, and excitement into the teaching of science at both the undergraduate and graduate levels at UIUC. This research will help train and educate the next generation of students in both good astronomical observational techniques and solid theoretical calculations and applications. In addition, a database of the survey and theoretical models will be generated that will be released to the community. This information will be in easily accessible form and will allow other groups to compare their own work more directly with the sample generated by this research.