Chemical Self-Enrichment in the Nearest OB Association

马马耶克博士和他的团队将实施一个观测项目，以确定天蝎座-半人马座复合体中年轻恒星化学丰度的变化。天蝎座-半人马座复合体是恒星形成的一个相对较近的区域。这项工作的主要目标将是看看在恒星形成开始时，是否有几颗超新星爆炸并改变了后来形成恒星的气体中的元素丰度；在这种情况下，我们今天看到的恒星中元素的丰度可能会因地而异。选择用于研究的元素是对超新星前身恒星质量的敏感示踪。预计调查结果可能会对恒星形成的一般过程，特别是太阳系的形成过程有深入的了解。该团队还计划制作和发行描绘恒星形成和天蝎座-半人马座复合体历史的动画。

Dr. Mamajek and his team will conduct an observational program to characterize variations in the chemical abundances among young stars in the Scorpius-Centaurus complex, a relatively nearby region of star formation. The principal goal of the effort will be to see if, when star formation began, a few supernovae exploded and altered the abundances in the gas out of which stars were later formed; in this case, there might be variations from place to place in the abundances of elements in stars we see today. The elements chosen for study are sensitive tracers of the mass of the progenitor stars of the supernovae.It is anticipated that results of the investigation may give insights into the process of star formation in general and of the solar system in particular. The team also plans to create and distribute animations depicting star formation and the history of the Scorpius-Centaurus complex.