Descripción del proyecto
Una nueva investigación arroja luz sobre la formación de las estrellas masivas
Los discos circunestelares son un ingrediente esencial en la formación de estrellas de masa baja, como nuestro Sol. Este proceso no es necesariamente el mismo durante la formación de estrellas más grandes, aproximadamente con una masa ocho veces superior a la del Sol. El proyecto Magik Star, financiado con fondos europeos, profundizará en la investigación sobre este problema que los astrofísicos tratan de solucionar desde hace tiempo. Basándose en una investigación reciente que vincula satisfactoriamente los flujos colisionantes con la formación de estrellas de masa elevada, los investigadores combinarán esos resultados con estudios sobre campos magnéticos que también han demostrado desempeñar un importante papel en el proceso de formación de las estrellas. El trabajo numérico se complementará con observaciones experimentales en el radiotelescopio ALMA. Los resultados ofrecerán nuevos datos sobre la formación de estrellas masivas, hasta ahora tan escasos como esas estrellas.
Objetivo
Star formation is a fundamental process in astrophysics, which has been studied for decades. As of now, most of our knowledge is concentrated on the formation of stars of a few solar masses. If galaxies' total stellar mass is dominated by low-mass stars, their energy budget is exclusively controlled by the enormous luminosity and powerful feedback of massive stars (M > 8 Msun). Despite their importance, the mechanisms leading to the formation of high-mass stars remain a mystery in many aspects. From the theoretical point of view, low-mass star formation models are not directly transposable as they do not provide accretion rates in line with what is necessary for high-mass star formation. From the observational point of view, until the recent rise of large interferometers, little was known about the formation of massive stars due to their scarcity, and remoteness. Through my work with interferometers, I have proved that very dynamical processes (colliding flows) are at play in high-mass star-forming regions (HMSFR). On the other hand, recent studies have shown that magnetic fields are a key factor in the regulation of star-formation. I am convinced that the dynamical features observed in HMSFR coupled with the action of the magnetic fields could explain for the formation of high-mass stars. For this two-year project, I plan on studying the coupling of gas dynamics with magnetic fields. For this purpose, I present an innovative project that will study this coupling simultaneously from observational and numerical inquiries. I will use today's best instrument in radio-astronomy, ALMA, to trace both the kinematics of gas and the magnetic field morphology. This observational part relies on data that I have already acquired. For the numerical part, I will participate in the development of dedicated magneto-hydro-dynamical simulations together with P. Hennebelle to understand the physical processes that underlie the observational features.
Ámbito científico
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EFCoordinador
75015 PARIS 15
Francia