Objective The evolution of a star forming molecular cloud depends critically on the thermodynamic processes, which determine the temperature, and hence the pressure, of the gas, i.e. heating, cooling, chemistry and radiation transport. These processes play a key role in determining the overall efficiency of star formation, the stellar initial mass function, the patterns of clustering, the binary statistics, the masses and lifetimes of accretion discs, and the external appearance of star forming clouds.The aim of this proposal is to explore the influence of thermodynamic processes on star formation by developing state-of-the-art algorithms to model them, and then combining these algorithms with high-resolution numerical simulations of star formation, using initial and boundary conditions informed by the latest observations. This in turn will allow us to determine how star formation depends on environmental factors like epoch, metallicity, background radiation field, level of turbulence, and feedback.This has implications beyond contemporary, local star formation, since observers are now able to observe star formation in more extreme environments like starbursts, and high-redshift merging proto-galaxies, and it is important to know and explain what systematic differences there may be between the patterns of star formation in these different environments. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryinorganic compoundsnatural sciencesphysical sciencesthermodynamicsnatural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyastrophysicsblack holesengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringcomputer hardwaresupercomputers Keywords E-Science Educational Outreach Numerical Hydrodynamics Radiation Transport Star Formation Stellar Mass Function Programme(s) FP6-MOBILITY - Human resources and Mobility in the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration "Structuring the European Research Area" under the Sixth Framework Programme 2002-2006 Topic(s) MOBILITY-2.1 - Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships (EIF) Call for proposal FP6-2005-MOBILITY-5 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships Coordinator CARDIFF UNIVERSITY EU contribution No data Address 30-36 Newport Road CARDIFF United Kingdom See on map Links Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
