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Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto
Rayleigh Taylor Instabilities and High Mass Star Formation: Theory vs Observations

M. S. Nanda Kumar
CAUP

Abstract
The formation of high mass (OB type) stars is an enigmatic topic in astrophysics revolving around a singular issue: the dissipation of intense radiation pressure in the early stages of massive proto-stellar collapse, which is thought to be capable of reversing accretion flows. Some theoretical solutions to this problem predict that radiation-pressure-driven outflow cavities will collapse back on to the proto-star via Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities (RTI), allowing mass build up. Observing RTI features is challenging and not found till now, which are argued by some theories to be due to their inexistence or stability issues. In this talk I will report observational evidences of tiny (a few thousand AU) filamentary features in the outflow cavity of a high mass star forming system, and present evidences which argues for their likely RTI nature. I will also review the pros and cons of competing theoretical scenarios and discuss the impact of the new observational analysis in confronting them.

13 March 2013, 13:30

Centro de Astrofísica
Rua das Estrelas
4150-762 Porto

Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences

Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA) is a new but long anticipated research infrastructure with a national dimension. It embodies a bold but feasible vision for the development of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Sciences in Portugal, taking full advantage and fully realizing the potential created by the national membership of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO). IA resulted from the merging the two most prominent research units in the field in Portugal: the Centre for Astrophysics of the University of Porto (CAUP) and the Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics of the University of Lisbon (CAAUL). It currently hosts more than two-thirds of all active researchers working in Space Sciences in Portugal, and is responsible for an even greater fraction of the national productivity in international ISI journals in the area of Space Sciences. This is the scientific area with the highest relative impact factor (1.65 times above the international average) and the field with the highest average number of citations per article for Portugal.

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