One of the outstanding puzzles about star formation is why it proceeds so slowly. Structures ranging from giant molecular clouds (GMCs) in the Milky Way to entire starburst galaxies convert only ~1% of their gas into stars per dynamical time. I present a model, based on both analytic arguments and simulations, that quantitatively explains the observed star formation rate as the result of supersonic turbulence in the star-forming gas. The turbulence is in turn driven by star formation feedback, which injects energy to offset radiation from isothermal shocks. I show that a picture of star formation regulated by feedback-driven turbulence can reproduce from first principles a number of observational results, including the total amount and radial distribution of star formation in the Milky Way, the Kennicutt-Schmidt Law, Larson's Law of constant GMC column densities, estimated GMC ages, and the age spreads of stars in rich clusters. I also make quantitative predictions that will be testable in the next few years.
Tuesday, March 7th
Seminar is to be held at 4:00 PM in the conference room
on the second floor of Dearborn Observatory
Refreshments will be served at 3:30
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