The enormously powerful phenomena of starbursts are examined in this book. These spectacular star-forming events are seen on large scales in some galaxies, often triggered by galactic interactions. An intriguing implication of starburst research is that active galactic nuclei (AGN) may not be powered by accreting black holes. Instead theories are presented where compact powerhouses of dust-enshrouded star formation lie at the core of AGN, with supernovae exploding roughly once per year within massive nuclear concentrations of gas. This book collects articles from a timely international conference in Elba, Italy, in 1992; these comprise a thorough review of the most important developments in galactic-scale star formation since the starburst revolution of the late 1980s. This text will introduce graduate students to this exciting area and keep experts apace with rapid developments in it.
This is a comprehensive and richly illustrated textbook on the astrophysics of the interstellar and intergalactic medium--the gas and dust, as well as the electromagnetic radiation, cosmic rays, and magnetic and gravitational fields, present between the stars in a galaxy and also between galaxies themselves. Topics include radiative processes across the electromagnetic spectrum; radiative transfer; ionization; heating and cooling; astrochemistry; interstellar dust; fluid dynamics, including ionization fronts and shock waves; cosmic rays; distribution and evolution of the interstellar medium; and star formation. While it is assumed that the reader has a background in undergraduate-level physics, including some prior exposure to atomic and molecular physics, statistical mechanics, and electromagnetism, the first six chapters of the book include a review of the basic physics that is used in later chapters. This graduate-level textbook includes references for further reading, and serves as an invaluable resource for working astrophysicists. Essential textbook on the physics of the interstellar and intergalactic medium Based on a course taught by the author for more than twenty years at Princeton University Covers radiative processes, fluid dynamics, cosmic rays, astrochemistry, interstellar dust, and more Discusses the physical state and distribution of the ionized, atomic, and molecular phases of the interstellar medium Reviews diagnostics using emission and absorption lines Features color illustrations and detailed reference materials in appendices Instructor's manual with problems and solutions (available only to teachers)
Observing the cold interstellar medium -- Observing young stars -- Chemistry and thermodynamics -- Gas flows and turbulence -- Magnetic fields and magnetized turbulence -- Gravitational instability and collapse -- Stellar feedback -- Giant molecular clouds escales -- The star formation rate at galactic scales: observations -- The star formation rate at galactic scales: theory -- Stellar clustering -- The initial mass function: observations -- The initial mass function: theory -- Protostellar disks and outflows: observations -- Protostellar disks and outflows: theory -- Protostar formation -- Protostellar evolution -- Massive star formation -- The first stars -- Late-stage stars and disks -- The transition to planet formation
The book leads the advanced undergraduate through the wide range of disciplines related to an understanding of the interstellar medium and is suitable for any student studying either physics or astrophysics. The study of the interstellar medium incorporates a large range of physical More...processes on both large and small scales all of which are covered in this text. Together with the inclusion of simple models and problems at the end of each chapter this text provides a comprehensive overview and grounding in the study of the interstellar medium.
New stars form in the dense turbulent gas clouds of galaxies, and the formation of these clouds is the subject of the IAU S237. This book is the most up-to-date review of all aspects of cloud and star formation, and one of the few compendiums available on ISM turbulence.
This book takes a reader on a tour of astronomical phenomena: from the vastness of the interstellar medium, to the formation and evolution of stars and planetary systems, through to white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes, the final objects of the stellar graveyard. At its heart, this book is a journey through the evolutionary history of the birth, life, and death of stars, but detours are also made to other related interesting topics. This highly accessible story of the observed contents of our Galaxy includes intuitive explanations, informative diagrams, and basic equations, as needed. It is an ideal guide for undergraduates with some physics and mathematics background who are studying astronomy and astrophysics. It is also accessible to interested laypeople, thanks to its limited equations. Key features: Includes coverage of some of the latest exciting research from the field, including star formation, exoplanets, and black holes Can be utilised as a stand-alone textbook for a one-term course or as a supplementary textbook for a more comprehensive course on astronomy and astrophysics Authored by a team respected for research, education, and outreach Shantanu Basu is an astrophysicist and a professor at The University of Western Ontario, Canada. He is known for research contributions on the formation of gravitationally-collapsed objects in the universe: stars, planets, brown dwarfs, and supermassive black holes. He is one of the originators of the migrating embryo scenario of episodic accretion onto young stars. He has been recognized for his teaching excellence and his contributions to the astronomical community include organizing many conferences and training schools. Pranav Sharma is an astronomer and science historian known for his work on the history of the Indian Space Program. He has curated the Space Museum at the B. M. Birla Science Centre (Hyderabad, India). He is in-charge of the history of Indo-French scientific partnership project supported by the Embassy of France in India. He is a national-award-winning science communicator and has extensively worked on the popularization of astronomy education in India.
This is volume 6 of Planets, Stars and Stellar Systems, a six-volume compendium of modern astronomical research, covering subjects of key interest to the main fields of contemporary astronomy. This volume on “Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology” edited by William C. Keel presents accessible review chapters on Galaxy Morphology, Elliptical and Disk Galaxy Structure and Modern Scaling Laws, Star Formation in Galaxies, The Cool ISM in Galaxies, The Influence of Environment on Galaxy Evolution, Clusters of Galaxies, Active Galactic Nuclei, Large Scale Structure of the Universe, Distance Scale of the Universe, Galaxies in the Cosmological Context, Evolution of Active Galactic Nuclei, The Intergalactic Medium, and Cosmic Microwave Background. All chapters of the handbook were written by practicing professionals. They include sufficient background material and references to the current literature to allow readers to learn enough about a specialty within astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology to get started on their own practical research projects. In the spirit of the series Stars and Stellar Systems published by Chicago University Press in the 1960s and 1970s, each chapter of Planets, Stars and Stellar Systems can stand on its own as a fundamental review of its respective sub-discipline, and each volume can be used as a textbook or recommended reference work for advanced undergraduate or postgraduate courses. Advanced students and professional astronomers in their roles as both lecturers and researchers will welcome Planets, Stars and Stellar Systems as a comprehensive and pedagogical reference work on astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology.
