From Dust To Stars (eBook)

Studies of the Formation and Early Evolution of Stars

Norbert S. Schulz (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2007 | 2005
XVI, 406 Seiten
Springer Berlin (Verlag)
978-3-540-27321-9 (ISBN)

Infos

Studies of stellar formation in galaxies have a profound impact on our understanding of the present and the early universe. The book describes complex physical processes involved in the creation of stars and during their young lives. It illustrates how these processes reveal themselves from radio wavelengths to high energy X-rays and gamma -rays, with special reference towards high energy signatures. Several sections devoted to key analysis techniques demonstrate how modern research in this field is pursued.

Inhalt

Preface 6
Contents 9
1 About the Book 15
2 Historical Background 21
2.1 And There Was Light? 21
2.2 The Quest to Understand the Formation of Stars 28
2.3 Observing Stellar Formation 36
3 Studies of Interstellar Matter 46
3.1 The Interstellar Medium 46
3.2 Interstellar Gas 51
3.3 Column Densities in the ISM 56
3.4 Interstellar Dust 61
3.5 The ISM in other Galaxies 67
4 Molecular Clouds and Cores 70
4.1 Global Cloud Properties 71
4.2 Cloud Dynamics 84
4.3 Dynamic Properties of Cores 100
5 Concepts of Stellar Collapse 105
5.1 Classical Collapse Concepts 105
5.2 Stability Considerations 111
5.3 Collapse of Rotating and Magnetized Clouds 114
5.4 Cores, Disks and Outflows: the Full Solution? 118
6 Evolution of Young Stellar Objects 124
6.1 Protostellar Evolution 125
6.2 Evolution in the HR-Diagram 133
6.3 PMS Classifications 139
6.4 Binaries 152
7 Accretion Phenomena and Magnetic Activity in YSOs 157
7.1 Accretion Disks 157
7.2 Stellar Rotation in YSOs 175
7.3 Magnetic Activity in PMS stars 179
8 High-energy Signatures in YSOs 190
8.1 The X-ray Account of YSOs 191
8.2 X-rays from Protostars 204
8.3 X-ray Spectra of PMS Stars 208
8.4 .-Radiation from YSOs 216
9 Star-forming Regions 218
9.1 Embedded Stellar Clusters 219
9.2 General Cluster Properties 225
9.3 Well-studied Star-forming Regions 231
9.4 Formation on Large Scales 239
10 Proto-solar Systems and the Sun 245
10.1 Protoplanetary Disks 245
10.2 The Making of the Sun 254
A Gas Dynamics 264
A.1 Temperature Scales 264
A.2 The Adiabatic Index 267
A.3 Polytropes 268
A.4 Thermodynamic Equilibrium 269
A.5 Gravitational Potential and Mass Density 270
A.6 Conservation Laws 272
A.7 Hydrostatic Equilibrium 274
A.8 The Speed of Sound 274
A.9 Timescales 275
A.10 Spherically Symmetric Accretion 276
A.11 Rotation 278
A.12 Ionized Matter 280
A.13 Thermal Ionization 280
A.14 Ionization Balance 281
B Magnetic Fields and Plasmas 283
B.1 Magnetohydrodynamics 283
B.2 Charged Particles in Magnetic Fields 286
B.3 Bulk and Drift Motions 287
B.4 MHD Waves 289
B.5 Magnetic Reconnection 290
B.6 Dynamos 293
B.7 Magnetic Disk Instabilities 297
B.8 Expressions 299
C Radiative Interactions with Matter 301
C.1 Radiative Equilibrium 302
C.2 Radiation Flux and Luminosity 303
C.3 Opacities 304
C.4 Mean Opacities 306
C.5 Scattering Opacities 307
C.6 Continuum Opacities 308
C.7 Line Opacities 309
C.8 Molecular Excitations 311
C.9 Dust Opacities 315
D Spectroscopy 318
D.1 Line Profiles 318
D.2 Zeeman Broadening 319
D.3 Equivalent Widths and Curve of Growth 320
D.4 Spectra from Collisionally Ionized Plasmas 323
D.5 X-ray Line Diagnostics 325
E Abbreviations 328
F Institutes, Observatories, and Instruments 335
G Variables, Constants, and Units 341
References 349
Index 378

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 6.3.2007
• Reihe/Serie: Astronomy and Planetary Sciences
• Reihe/Serie: Astronomy and Planetary Sciences
• Reihe/Serie: Springer Praxis Books
• Reihe/Serie: Springer Praxis Books
• Zusatzinfo: XVI, 406 p.
• Verlagsort: Berlin
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Geowissenschaften ► Geologie
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Astronomie / Astrophysik
• Themenwelt: Technik
• Schlagworte: Accretion • Basic Concepts • Cosmology • Early Evolution of Stars • Galaxy • interstellar clouds • Interstellar Matter • Star • starburst regions • Starbursts • Star Forming Regions • Stellar • stellar evolution • Universe • Young Stellar Objects
• ISBN-10: 3-540-27321-2 / 3540273212
• ISBN-13: 978-3-540-27321-9 / 9783540273219