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Massive star formation with Spitzer/GLIMPSE

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 November 2005

Rémy Indebetouw ,
Barbara A. Whitney ,
Thomas P. Robitaille  and
Ed Churchwell
Rémy Indebetouw
Affiliation:
Astronomy Department, University of Virginia, PO Box 318, Charlottesville, VA, 22903, USA email: remy@virginia.edu
Barbara A. Whitney
Affiliation:
Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut St., Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301 email: bwhitney@spacescience.org
Thomas P. Robitaille
Affiliation:
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, KY16 9SS, St Andrews, United Kingdom email: tr9@st-andrews.ac.uk
Ed Churchwell
Affiliation:
Astronomy Department, University of Wisconsin, 475 N Charter Street, Madison, WI 53706 email: ebc@astro.wisc.edu
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Abstract

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The Spitzer Space Telescope is very efficient at moderate-depth infrared mapping. The Galactic Legacy Infrared Midplane Survey Extraordinaire (GLIMPSE) and other projects have now imaged most of the massive star formation regions in the inner Galaxy. In this case, quantity is quality–the large datasets allow statistical and global analysis of star forming regions that was previously difficult. Data such as the GLIMPSE survey is proving useful to study different evolutionary stages of massive star formation, from pre-protostellar clouds through feedback and triggered star formation. We discuss selected team results relevant to each of these stages: mapping infrared dark clouds and the mid-IR extinction law, studies using radiative transfer models of the entire protostellar population of star forming regions such as M16 and M17 (see also Whitney, this conference), feedback and star formation in the G305 and RCW79 giant HII regions, and GLIMPSE's comment on even older objects such as debris disks and PN. Continuing similar analysis will hopefully lead to better understanding of large-scale questions of Galactic star formation such as the total star formation rate and the relationships between star formation and Galactic structure.

Keywords

Galaxy: generalstars: formationinfrared: starsHII regions
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 1 , Symposium S227: Massive Star Birth: A Crossroads of Astrophysics , May 2005 , pp. 397 - 406
Copyright
© 2005 International Astronomical Union