Astrophysical Processes in the ISM

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How do galaxies form? How do planets form? Where do we come from? 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 the different astrophysical processes that rule and organize the cosmos.***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 problems, including star formation, by studying the astrophysical processes that take place in molecular clouds and other regions within our Galaxy. Molecular clouds are aggregates of dust and gas that serve as the birthplace of stars, while also constituting one of 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, and the processes they harbour, 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: the interstellar magnetic field and gas turbulence, as well as fundamental small-scale interactions between atoms, molecules, and radiation. It is expected within only a few years to provide a wealth of new data that will significantly improve our understanding of many aspects of the interstellar medium and the star formation process.**