Massive Star Formation: Problems Ripe for Progress

University Of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT Churchwell, Edward "Massive Star Formation: Problems Ripe for Progress" AST-9986548 An investigation of several key problems in massive star formation is proposed. The earliest stages of star formation are obscured and it is therefore difficult to observationally constrain theories for the process. The PI will use the methyl cyanide line emission as a probe to determine the physical state of circumstellar gas. Molecular and far infrared observations will be used to construct and constrain models for the spectral energy distributions for each region of massive star formation. In addition, attempts will be made to detect and image the distribution of shocked gas very near the massive forming stars. The purpose of this part of the project is to empirically test the two competing notions of how massive stars in clusters form, i.e. by accretion or by stellar mergers. Funding for this project was provided by the NSF program for Stellar Astronomy & Astrophysics (AST/SAA).