The Formation of Stars: From Clouds to Protostars

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。斯特拉·奥夫纳被授予美国国家科学基金会天文学和天体物理学博士后奖学金，在哈佛-史密森天体物理学中心开展研究和教育项目。Offner博士将：(1)进行自适应网格细化（AMR）流体动力学自重力湍流模拟的模拟观测，并将其与观测到的恒星形成区域的分子线信息进行比较，以形成对大规模分子云特性和结构的三维理解；(2)通过高分辨率AMR模拟产生涌现光谱能量分布，研究观测到的原恒星特性，以检验盘的形态、尘埃组成和气体温度；(3)通过对湍流团块进行AMR多群辐射转移模拟，研究原恒星多样性如何依赖于当地的物理和化学条件。奥夫纳还将开展一项科学教育和推广计划，以鼓励和激励年幼的儿童，特别是女孩和少数民族，学习物理和天文学。奥夫纳博士将参加女孩科学俱乐部，并开发涉及简单、互动科学实验的额外课程。在成功的K-12教育项目ASTRO的基础上，她将创建额外的物理课程（又名项目物理），以突出日常生活中的科学原理。她还将通过与来访的女科学家共进午餐，以及为本科生和高级教员举办社交聚会，鼓励天体物理学领域的女性群体更加强大。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Dr. Stella Offner is awarded an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship to carry out a program of research and education at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Dr. Offner will: (1) perform simulated observations of adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) hydrodynamic self-gravitating turbulent simulations and compare these with the molecular-line information of observed star-forming regions to formulate a three-dimensional understanding of large-scale molecular cloud properties and structure; (2) study observed protostellar properties by producing emergent spectral energy distributions of high-resolution AMR simulations in order to examine disk morphology, dust composition and gas temperatures; and (3) investigate how protostellar multiplicity depends upon local physical and chemical conditions by performing AMR multi-group radiative transfer simulations of turbulent clumps.Dr. Offner will also conduct a program of science education and outreach to encourage and excite young children, particularly girls and minorities, in physics and astronomy. Dr. Offner will participate in the Science Club for Girls and develop additional lessons involving simple, interactive science experiments. Building on the successful K-12 education program Project ASTRO, she will create additional physics-oriented lessons (a.k.a. Project Physics) to highlight scientific principles in daily life. She will also encourage a stronger community of women in astrophysics by organizing lunches with visiting female scientists and social gatherings for undergraduates though senior faculty.