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Dynamics of Young Star Clusters and Associations

Saas-Fee Advanced Course 42. Swiss Society for Astrophysics and Astronomy

  • Presents the principles of the theory of star formation and dynamical evolution of stellar systems
  • Discusses the kinematics of star clusters and associations and provides a general overview of the stellar populations in the disk of the Milky Way
  • Discusses where the Sun came from
  • Based on a series of lectures given by eminent scientists in the field who present the latest results
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: Saas-Fee Advanced Course (SAASFEE, volume 42)

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Table of contents (21 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxiii
  2. Theory of Star Formation and Dynamical Evolution of Stellar Systems

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
    2. The Role of Feedback and Magnetic Fields

      • Cathie J. Clarke
      Pages 47-60
    3. The Formation of Multiple Systems in Clusters

      • Cathie J. Clarke
      Pages 61-72
    4. Concluding Issues

      • Cathie J. Clarke
      Pages 89-102
  3. Kinematics of Star Clusters and Associations

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 103-103
    2. Introduction to Open Clusters

      • Robert D. Mathieu
      Pages 105-122
    3. Overview of Multiple Star Systems

      • Robert D. Mathieu
      Pages 123-135
    4. Overview of Collisional Stellar Dynamics

      • Robert D. Mathieu
      Pages 137-146
    5. \(\lambda \) Ori: A Case Study in Star Formation

      • Robert D. Mathieu
      Pages 147-163
    6. Overview of Star-Forming Regions

      • Robert D. Mathieu
      Pages 165-177
    7. Kinematics of Star-Forming Regions

      • Robert D. Mathieu
      Pages 179-189
    8. Pre-main-sequence Binaries

      • Robert D. Mathieu
      Pages 191-202
  4. From Whence the Field?

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 203-203
    2. Galactic Demographics: Setting the Scene

      • I. Neill Reid
      Pages 205-223
    3. The Solar Neighbourhood

      • I. Neill Reid
      Pages 225-257

About this book

Where do most stars (and the planetary systems that surround them) in the Milky Way form? What determines whether a young star cluster remains bound (such as an open or globular cluster), or disperses to join the field stars in the disc of the Galaxy? These questions not only impact understanding of the origins of stars and planetary systems like our own (and the potential for life to emerge that they represent), but also galaxy formation and evolution, and ultimately the story of star formation over cosmic time in the Universe.

This volume will help readers understand our current views concerning the answers to these questions as well as frame new questions that will be answered by the European Space Agency's Gaia satellite that was launched in late 2013. The book contains the elaborated notes of lectures given at the 42nd Saas-Fee Advanced Course “Dynamics of Young Star Clusters & Associations" by Cathie Clarke (University of Cambridge) who presents the theory of star formation and dynamical evolution of stellar systems, Robert Mathieu (University of Wisconsin) who discusses the kinematics of star clusters and associations, and I. Neill Reid (S

pace Telescope Science Institute) who provides an overview of the stellar populations in the Milky Way and speculates on from whence came the Sun. As part of the Saas-Fee Advanced Course Series, the book offers an in-depth introduction to the field serving as a starting point for Ph.D. research and as a reference work for professional astrophysicists.

Reviews

“This book covers the dynamics of young stellar systems. … this is both a good introduction to the field, and a useful reference for those who already work in the area. … This is a great book for both observers and theorists in any area around star formation, star clusters/associations, and galactic dynamics – especially timely with Gaia data arriving soon. I gave it to my PhD students with the instruction ‘read this from cover to cover – it’s really useful’.” (Simon Goodwin, The Observatory, Vol. 136 (1255), December, 2016)

Authors, Editors and Affiliations

  • Institute for Astronomy,ETH, Zürich, Switzerland

    Michael R. Meyer

  • Department of Astronomy of Geneva Univer, Geneva Observatory, Sauverny, Switzerland

    Laurent Eyer

  • Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, USA

    Cameron P.M. Bell

  • Institute for Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom

    Cathie Clarke

  • Department of Astronomy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA

    Robert D. Mathieu

  • Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, USA

    Iain Neill Reid

About the editors

Cathie J Clarke is professor for astronomy at the Institute of Astronomy of the University of Cambridge. Her research focuses on star formation and exoplanets.

Robert Mathieu, has been on the faculty of the Department of Astronomy of the University of Wisconsin-Madison since 1987 and department chair since 2008. His research interests are:
Structure, kinematics and dynamics of star clusters and star-forming regions; stellar binary populations; blue stragglers and other objects at the interface of stellar evolution and stellar dynamics; formation of binary stars; stellar angular momentum evolution.

Iain Neill Reid is an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute. His research interests include low-mass stars and brown dwarfs, Galactic structure, extrasolar planets & astrobiology, white dwarfs. He is author of the book Reid & Hawley -  New Light on Dark Stars
(Springer - Praxis 1999, 2005).

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Dynamics of Young Star Clusters and Associations

  • Book Subtitle: Saas-Fee Advanced Course 42. Swiss Society for Astrophysics and Astronomy

  • Authors: Cathie Clarke, Robert D. Mathieu, Iain Neill Reid

  • Editors: Michael R. Meyer, Laurent Eyer, Cameron P.M. Bell

  • Series Title: Saas-Fee Advanced Course

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-47290-3

  • Publisher: Springer Berlin, Heidelberg

  • eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-662-47289-7Published: 14 October 2015

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-662-51460-3Published: 23 August 2016

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-662-47290-3Published: 11 September 2015

  • Series ISSN: 1861-7980

  • Series E-ISSN: 1861-8227

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XXIII, 348

  • Topics: Astrophysics and Astroparticles, Astronomy, Observations and Techniques, Cosmology

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access