Title: From Molecular Clouds to Protostellar Systems: the Modern Picture of Star Formation
Speaker: Che-Yu Chen (U Virginia)
Date: October 4 at 15:30
Location: R521, General building II
Abstract:
Magnetic field, turbulence, and gas gravity are considered the key agents regulating the star forming process throughout different evolutionary stages. Despite rich observational results, it is still unclear how dynamically significant the magnetic fields are with respect to gravity and turbulence at varying physical scales, because neither the strength nor 3D structure of the magnetic field can be directly measured through observation. Our recent theoretical efforts and statistical examinations have provided new ways to characterize the 3D field structure and the relative importance of gas gravity and the magnetic field. We are also working toward a comprehensive understanding of the velocity structure within star-forming cores through both observations and simulations. Such investigation of the evolution of angular momentum during core collapse under the influence of the local magnetic field will be crucial for understanding the formation of protostellar disks, the birthplace of planets.
