CAREER: The Life Cycle of Star Clusters: New Windows into Star Formation and Galaxy Evolution

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。Rupali Chandar博士（托莱多大学）将利用太空和地面数据对20个形成恒星的星系中的星团特性进行详细研究，这些星系涵盖了附近宇宙中发现的大多数类型和环境。这个项目将探索一个新的假设，基于两个非常不同的星系的初步结果，即星团形成和破坏的基本物理过程本质上是相同的，无论它们是在开放、超级恒星还是球状星团上运行，也不管它们形成的星系类型或环境如何。如果正确的话，这张照片将修正一些长期以来关于星团形成和分裂的观点。无论结果如何，这项研究都将在理解恒星和星团形成的物理学、星团的生命周期以及星系内的恒星成分方面迈出重要的一步。钱达尔将把这项研究产生的邻近星系星团的大量简化的综合光谱提供给公众，以便进行许多后续项目。作为该计划的一部分，Chandar博士还将制定两项新的教育计划：(1)“女孩参与科学”，这是一项针对中学女生的外展活动，将本提案研究部分的数据纳入实践活动；(2)“超越太阳系”，这是一项新的教师培训计划，重点关注与本提案相关的主题，并与州和联邦科学标准保持一致。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). Dr. Rupali Chandar (University of Toledo) will use space- and ground-based data to make a detailed study of the properties of star clusters in 20 star-forming galaxies, covering most types and environments found in the nearby universe. This program will explore a new hypothesis, based on preliminary results from two very different galaxies, that the basic physical processes of star cluster formation and disruption are essentially the same, whether they operate on open, super-star, or globular star clusters, and regardless of the type of galaxy or environment in which they form. If correct, this picture revises some long-held beliefs about the formation and disruption of star clusters. Regardless of the outcome, this research will take a major step forward in understanding the physics of star and cluster formation, the life cycle of clusters, and the stellar content within galaxies.Dr. Chandar will make the extensive set of reduced, integrated-light spectra of star clusters in nearby galaxies which will result from this research available to the public in order to enable many follow-up projects. As part of this program, Dr. Chandar will also develop two new education initiatives: (1) "Girls in Science", an outreach event aimed at middle school girls, will incorporate data from the research portion of this proposal into hands-on activities, and (2) "Beyond the Solar System", a new teacher training initiative focused on topics related to this proposal and aligned with State and Federal science standards.