Descripción del proyecto
Más datos sobre el ecosistema galáctico
El proyecto financiado con fondos europeos ECOGAL reúne a grupos de investigación de Alemania, Francia e Italia dedicados a la astronomía de observación, la astrofísica matemática, el desarrollo de instrumentos y la astroinformática. La combinación de observaciones astronómicas de alta resolución y múltiples longitudes de onda con simulaciones informáticas multiescala permitirá a los miembros del equipo crear un modelo predictivo unificador sobre la formación de estrellas y planetas en la Vía Láctea. Su objetivo principal es desarrollar un conocimiento exhaustivo de la galaxia como un «ecosistema» complejo gobernado por distintos bucles de retroalimentación que impulsan su evolución dinámica. Esto supone un cambio de paradigma para la astronomía y la astrofísica, en el que los modelos que abordan los constituyentes de la galaxia en equilibrio y consideran que las distintas escalas por separado han llegado claramente a su límite. El equipo de ECOGAL identificará las condiciones iniciales y de límite para la formación de estructuras a todas las escalas relevantes y creará un inventario completo de las condiciones que producen el nacimiento de estrellas y planetas en la Vía Láctea.
Objetivo
Stars and planets are born from a large reservoir of diffuse gas and dust that permeates the Galaxy, the interstellar medium (ISM). The process is governed by the complex interplay of often competing physical agents such as gravity, turbulence, magnetic fields, and radiation. The system is organized in a hierarchy of scales, that link the disk of the Milky Way, to star-forming clouds, and eventually to protoplanetary disks, the cradles of planetary systems. Stellar feedback creates highly non-linear feedback loops that strongly influence the dynamical evolution across the entire cascade of scales. We witness a paradigm shift in galactic astronomy and astrophysics. Approaches that treat the constituents of the Galaxy in equilibrium and consider the various scales in isolation reach clear limits. A comprehensive understanding of our Milky Way requires us to consider the Galaxy as one single complex ecosystem, where dramatically different environments coexist and where varying conditions are found for star and planet formation, and ultimately for life. Exploring and understanding the Galactic ecosystem as well as the physical processes that govern its evolution define the research activities of ECOGAL. Our primary goal is to build a unifying predictive model of star and planet formation in the Milky Way. Based on a unique combination of theoretical modeling and multi-wavelengths observations, we will trace the properties of planet-forming disks back to their environment in different parts of the Galaxy, determine the physical processes that regulate the birth to stars and determine their key parameters, deliver a well calibrated galaxy template which can be used to study systems in the distant Universe. To reach these goals, ECOGAL unites four key research groups in Europe at the forefront in observational astronomy, numerical astrophysics, instrument development, and astroinformatics, whose synergy enables transformative progress in our understanding of our Galaxy.
Ámbito científico
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomygalactic astronomy
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanets
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyastrophysics
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencescelestial mechanics
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyobservational astronomy
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
Tema(s)
Régimen de financiación
ERC-SyG - Synergy grantInstitución de acogida
75015 PARIS 15
Francia