Characterizing magnetized turbulence in molecular clouds and galaxies

表征分子云和星系中的磁化湍流

• 批准号: 312111-2011
• 负责人: Houde, Martin
• 金额: $ 2.7万
• 依托单位: University of Western Ontario
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=571689
• 关键词: Characterizing; magnetized; turbulence; molecular; clouds

How do galaxies form? How do planets form? Where do we come form? Are we really made of stardust? Although these questions deal with subjects of vastly different scales (i.e., the galactic, planetary, human, and microscopic scales), they are all linked together through two common themes: origins and stars. The origin of the stars themselves, however, is arguably the single most important topic that underlies these and other fundamental astrophysical questions. As stars form they acquire the characteristics that will determine how they will live their life, affect their galactic neighbourhood, and ultimately die. The problem of understanding the different processes and phases of star formation is central to obtaining a better and bigger picture of the working of the Galaxy and the Universe as a whole. This research program proposes to attack the problem of star formation by studying molecular clouds within our Galaxy. These aggregates of dust and gas are not only the birthplace of stars, but also constitute one the main components of our Galaxy. Because of their fundamental position in the time line that spans the life of stars, a study of molecular clouds is also a study of star formation. The program will concentrate on two of the agents and phenomena that are known to inhabit these structures and participate in the star formation process: the interstellar magnetic field and gas turbulence. This research program will also focus on the characterization of magnetized turbulence in galaxies in general. This will help us better understand their dynamics and evolution by observationally determining such fundamental parameters as the scale at which energy is injected within a galaxy. As a result, this program will within only a few years provide a wealth of new data that will significantly improve our understanding of many aspects of the star formation process and the nature of magnetized turbulence in galaxies.

星系是如何形成的？行星是如何形成的？我们从哪里来？我们真的是由星尘组成的吗？虽然这些问题涉及的是不同尺度的主题（即，银河系、行星、人类和微观尺度），它们都通过两个共同的主题联系在一起：起源和恒星。 然而，恒星本身的起源可以说是构成这些和其他基本天体物理学问题基础的唯一最重要的主题。随着恒星的形成，它们获得的特征将决定它们将如何生活，影响它们的银河系邻居，并最终死亡。理解星星形成的不同过程和阶段的问题，对于更好地了解银河系和整个宇宙的运行情况至关重要。 这项研究计划提出通过研究银河系内的分子云来解决星星形成的问题。这些尘埃和气体的聚集体不仅是恒星的诞生地，也是我们银河系的主要组成部分之一。由于分子云在跨越恒星生命的时间线上的基本位置，对分子云的研究也是对星星形成的研究。该计划将集中在两个代理人和现象，是已知的居住在这些结构和参与星星形成过程：星际磁场和气体湍流。 这项研究计划还将侧重于一般星系中磁化湍流的表征。这将有助于我们更好地了解它们的动力学和演化，通过观测确定这些基本参数，如能量注入星系的规模。 因此，该计划将在短短几年内提供丰富的新数据，将大大提高我们对星星形成过程和星系磁化湍流性质的许多方面的理解。