Herschel Space Observatory - Theoretical Research Proposal #1008

Database of Turbulent Cloud Models

Principal Investigator: Lee Hartmann
           Institution: Univ. of Michigan

Co-Investigators:
Fabian Heitsch, U. Michigan
Edwin Bergin, U. Michigan
Thomas Bethell, U. Michigan


Dollars Approved: 73500

Abstract:
Star-forming clouds are turbulent and highly structured.  A major goal of star
formation theory is to understand how this structure is related to (or produces)
the fragmentation of massive clouds into individual stars.
Herschel will make important observational
contributions to our understanding of the kinematic, thermal, and chemical structure
and evolution of star-forming clouds.  Here we propose a theoretical effort to
construct models of clouds in which the tubulence and substructure arises naturally
as a part of the cloud formation process to make predictions which can be tested
with Herschel data.  We will both compute diagnostics for immediate test and
make the models available on the Web for community use.