The Physical Conditions in Extreme Star Forming Regions in the ALMA Era

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Super Star Clusters (SSCs) are very large regions of active star formation that are thought to be the precursors to globular clusters of stars. They typically contain a number of young massive stars surrounded by regions of ionized hydrogen gas (H II) and dust. The dust surrounding the SSCs typically obscures the H II regions and stars from the visible part of the spectrum. Observations of SSCs are, therefore, usually performed at wavelengths from the radio to infrared. The goal of this proposal is to investigate the physical conditions that give rise to SSCs through a program of observations using the Atacama Large Millimeter/Sub-millimeter Array (ALMA) and the Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA). SSCs represent one of the most extreme modes of star formation in the universe. The PI proposes to find and study the molecular cloud regions that are the pre-cursors to these SSCs. The PI will use radio (JVLA) and sub-millimeter/millimeter (ALMA) data already in hand to study proto-SSCs found in the blue compact dwarf galaxy Henize 2-10 and the overlap region in the merging Antennae galaxies. In addition, the PI will propose new observations to search for new SSC precursors within these two sources and in other galaxy systems.The proposal will allow the PI to continue an excellent program of public outreach developed as part of a prior NSF award. The program entitled "Dark Skies, Bright Kids" (DSBK) is an 8-week after-school curriculum for elementary school children consisting of hands-on activities and family observing nights. The DSBK program has over 10,000 student contact hours in the 5 years the program has been running. The program also provides numerous graduate student and postdoctoral volunteers involved in DSBK "real world" training in education.