The first part of this book reviews the basic theoretical knowledge necessary to understand the flow of interstellar gas that leads to the formation of stars, including ample discussion of the physical implications, the limitations of standard assumptions, and the necessary extensions for more realistic descriptions. The second part presents a self-consistent view of the process of cloud formation and evolution that leads to the formation of stars, starting from the mechanisms responsible for the formation of clouds in the diffuse interstellar medium, passing through their growth, the onset of gravitational contraction, the onset of star formation, and culminating on the dispersal of the star-forming regions and the properties of the star clusters formed by this process. Throughout the book, special emphasis is made on the fluid nature of the interstellar medium.
Key features:
Provides comprehensive description of the physics (compressible and incompressible turbulence, thermodynamics, self-gravity, and some aspects of magnetic fields) needed to describe the flow of interstellar gas and the resulting star formation process from a collective (i.e., not individual) point of view. Addresses nonlinear processes (turbulence, cooling) and the interplay between them and self-gravity, towards star formation. Includes extensive qualitative and interpretative discussion of the theory, directed to graduate students and professional astronomers not familiar with the details and implications. Discussion of frequent misconceptions and misinterpretations of the theory, and the importance of the continuum nature of the interstellar medium. Discussion of relevant results from early times that are often overlooked in current literature.
By:
Enrique Vazquez-Semadeni (UNAM Mexico)
Imprint: Institute of Physics Publishing
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 254mm,
Width: 178mm,
ISBN: 9780750312912
ISBN 10: 0750312912
Series: AAS-IOP Astronomy
Pages: 318
Publication Date: 04 September 2025
Audience:
General/trade
,
Professional and scholarly
,
ELT Advanced
,
Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Part I Theoretical Background Chapter 1: The ISM and Star Formation Chapter 2: The Hydrodynamic Equations Chapter 3: Turbulence Chapter 4: ISM Thermodynamics and Compressibility Chapter 5: The Scalar Virial Theorem Chapter 6: Self-Gravity I: Equilibrium and Stability Chapter 7: Self-Gravity II: Gravitationally Driven Collapse Flow and Gravitational Fragmentation Part II Cloud Evolution and Star Formation Chapter 8: Molecular Clouds and Their Star-forming Properties Chapter 9: Historical Perspective of Molecular Cloud and Star Formation Models Chapter 10: Molecular Cloud Formation and Growth Chapter 11: Onset of Gravitational Collapse, Fragmentation and Filamentation Chapter 12: Star-Forming Regions and the Star Formation Rate Chapter 13: Evolution of the Energy Balance and Scaling Relations in Molecular Clouds Chapter 14: Formation of Stellar Clusters and Associations, and Cloud Dispersal Chapter 15: Conclusions: The Galactic Flow
Enrique Vázquez-Semadeni earned his BSc in Physics from UNAM and his PhD in Astronomy from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a Professor and former Director of the Institute for Radioastronomy and Astrophysics at UNAM’s Morelia Campus. He has served on UNAM’s Computing Advisory Council and Supercomputing Committee, and received the Mexican Physical Society Research Award in 2019, and the National University Award in Exact Sciences in 2021.
