Starless Cores and Clumps: The Physical and Kinematic Structure of the Incipient Phase of Star Formation

该提案的目标是建立在以前NSF支持的关于星星形成最早阶段的研究基础上;即巨大分子气体云的初始碎片以及这些碎片演变为最终成为新生恒星的致密核心。 该提议旨在利用若干不同的地面和空间设施，通过从无线电到红外线的多波长观测活动，研究这些星星形成地点。 提议者将利用这些观测结果来测试星星形成和恒星演化的计算模型。拟议中的新研究将对大量低质量无星核心和高质量无星团块的物理，化学和运动学结构进行详细的系统研究。 对于大质量无星团块，研究将利用PI先前完成的Bolocam银河平面巡天（BGPS），通过IRAM、APEX、HHT、JVLA和阿尔马的观测，确定具有统计意义的大质量无星团块样本，进行更详细的研究。 对于低质量的无星核心，该项目将使用分子云中无星核心群体的辐射转移模型来研究核心的演化阶段，并确定磁场在其演化过程中的重要性。 该项目将利用空间赫歇尔和地面SCUBA观测站的低质量无星核心识别。 该项目将与亚利桑那州12米射电天文台和阿尔马对这些识别进行新的观测，以便与其辐射传输模型的结果进行比较。

The goal of this proposal is to build on previous NSF supported research regarding the earliest stages of star formation; i.e. the initial fragmentation of giant clouds of molecular gas and the evolution of these fragments into dense cores that will eventually become newborn stars. The proposal aims to study these sites of star formation through a multi-wavelength campaign of observations from the radio to the infrared using a number of different ground-based and space-based facilities. The proposers will use these observations to test computational models of star formation and stellar evolution. The proposed new research will undertake a detailed systematic study of the physical, chemical, and kinematic structure of large populations of low-mass starless cores and high-mass starless clumps. For the high-mass starless clumps, the research will utilize the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey (BGPS) previously completed by the PI to identify a statistically significant sample of high-mass starless clumps for more detailed study through observations with the IRAM, APEX, HHT, JVLA and ALMA. For the low-mass starless cores, the project will use radiation transfer modeling of the starless core population in molecular clouds to investigate the evolutionary phases of the cores and to determine the importance of magnetic fields during their evolution. The project will make use of low-mass starless core identifications from the space-based Herschel and ground-based SCUBA observatories. The project will perform new observations of these identifications with the 12m Arizona Radio Observatory and ALMA for comparison with the results from their radiative transfer models.