Computational Star Formation (IAU S270)

Reviews techniques and results of numerical simulations in interstellar gas dynamics and star formation for graduate students and researchers.

João Alves (Edited by), Bruce G. Elmegreen (Edited by), Josep M. Girart (Edited by), Virginia Trimble (Edited by)

9780521766432, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 19 May 2011

574 pages, 160 b/w illus.
25.4 x 18 x 2.8 cm, 1.14 kg

'… excellent contributions, including papers that my students and [postdoctorates] would find interesting and relevant. Well worth a read if this is an area of interest.' The Observatory

The rapid advance of computer capabilities over the last two decades has opened up a new field of numerical simulations in which detailed physical models can be made to represent the most complex processes. IAU Symposium 270 reviews a wide range of topics relevant to computer modeling in the fields of interstellar gas dynamics, star formation and galactic dynamics. It includes numerical techniques for modeling physical processes such as self-gravitating, radiative magnetohydrodynamics, as well as novel hardware options for acceleration and a view into the future of computation. Observations of interstellar gas and star formation are also reviewed. This book is ideal for graduate students and researchers in the field of numerical astrophysics.

1. Historical introduction
2. Individual star formation: observations
3. Low-mass star formation: observations
4. Individual star formation: theory
5. Formation of clusters: observations
6. Formation of clusters: theory
7. Numerical methods: MHD
8. Numerical methods: radiative dynamics
9. Local star formation processes
10. Star formation feedback
11. Star formation on galactic scales
12. Special purpose hardware
13. Computational methods
14. Radiation diagnostics of star formation
15. Large scale star formation
16. Cosmological star formation
17. Computational star formation: Summary
Index.

Subject Areas: Astronomy, space & time [PG], Mathematics & science [P]