Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy/Argelander Institute for Astronomy Main Colloquium
Titel: Molecules as probes to unveil how stars form
Speaker: Dr. Elena Redaelli, MPE
Research into star formation is a highly active area of modern astrophysics. Stars are born in dense and cold environments known as molecular clouds, which appear as dark patches in the night sky as optical radiation cannot penetrate them. Since these clouds are composed of molecules, molecular transitions at radio and microwave wavelengths represent the ideal diagnostic tool to probe these phases of the interstellar medium. I will show how through their analysis we can infer the physical and chemical structure of star-forming regions, to understand how they evolve. I will showcase examples of the power of this technique in both the low- and the high-mass regimes, each with its set of challenges.