Determining the relationship between turbulence and star formation, using statistical comparisons between large observational datasets and a large ensemble of theoretical models

• Grant number: 16/50340-0
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: November 01, 2016 - October 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Astronomy
• Cooperation agreement: University of New South Wales
• Principal Investigator: Diego Antonio Falceta Gonçalves
• Grantee: Diego Antonio Falceta Gonçalves
• Principal investigator abroad: Maria Cunningham
• Institution abroad: University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia
• Home Institution: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo, SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/10559-5 - Investigation of high energy and plasma astrophysics phenomena: theory, numerical simulations, observations, and instrument development for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), AP.TEM

Abstract

In this grant proposal for joint FAPESP-UNSW funding, we propose to determine the role that turbulence plays in shaping the formation and structure of molecular clouds in the Milky Way Galaxy, and how this influences star formation at the scale of individual star forming clumps and cores. We will accomplish this by comparing large observational data sets of molecular clouds (from PI Cunningham; UNSW) with numerical models for the interstellar medium that include the role that turbulence and magnetic fields may play in its evolution, [from PI Falceta-Gonçalves; USP]. Our methods for comparison will draw on the nascent field of data science, by developing tools to compare the observational and theoretical data sets efficiently and effectively, thus constraining which physical models for star formation and Galactic evolution are plausible. (AU)