Descrizione del progetto
Scoprire l’origine dei campi magnetici nella struttura delle nuvole che formano le stelle
Il mezzo interstellare diffuso svolge un ruolo fondamentale nel processo di formazione stellare. Esso riempie la galassia di raggi cosmici, gas multifase e particelle di polvere che interagiscono con i campi magnetici. Attraverso tali interazioni, un ciclo complesso, che coinvolge transizioni di fase, turbolenza magnetoidrodinamica e gravità, converte la materia diffusa (calda) in regioni più dense (più fredde) dove le stelle si formano a una velocità di solo poche masse solari all’anno. Finanziato dal programma Marie Skłodowska-Curie, il progetto MUSICA condurrà un’analisi senza precedenti dei dati raccolti mediante LOFAR, una grande rete di radiotelescopi situata nei Paesi Bassi, per scoprire l’origine della turbolenza magnetoidrodinamica. I risultati del progetto dovrebbero far avanzare in modo significativo la conoscenza della formazione della struttura nel mezzo interstellare diffuso.
Obiettivo
MUSICA will orchestrate an MSC-Action where the deepening of our knowledge of the local Universe will play together with unveiling the cosmic dawn. We will focus on the origin of new structures, stains, in the diffuse Galactic interstellar medium (ISM) recently revealed by the LOFAR radio telescope and model their contamination to the observations of the Epoch of Reionization. The study of the diffuse ISM is key for pivotal astrophysical problems, such as the inefficiency of the star formation process. The ISM fills the Galaxy with cosmic rays, multiphase gas, and dust particles, all coupled with magnetic fields. It is through their interactions that a complex cycle, involving phase transitions, magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence, and gravity, is expected to convert diffuse/warm matter into denser/colder regions, where stars form at a rate of only a few solar masses per year. In theory, magnetic fields in the ISM may explain such low star-formation rate. In practice, characterizing magnetism at the starting point of this cycle of matter has been a difficult observational challenge until now. Today, the Planck satellite and LOFAR are unique complementary datasets to investigate phase transition between warm/ionized and atomic magnetized ISM. MUSICA proposes an unprecedented joint analysis of the Planck/LOFAR data with the best-available kinematic data of the atomic and ionized hydrogen to investigate the MHD origin of the stains. By comparing observations with synthetic data from state-of-the-art MHD simulations of the ISM, MUSICA will (1) significantly advance our knowledge of structure formation in the diffuse ISM and (2) prepare foreground analyses for future cosmological probes, such as LOFAR and the SKA radio telescopes. Hence, funding MUSICA will allow partners to (i) start a scientific network across Europe (France/Croatia) in line with the H2020 priorities, (ii) do science on the front line and (iii) secure their research in novel international projects.
Campo scientifico
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EFCoordinatore
10000 Zagreb
Croazia