SF-06-0007

Resolving the impact of feedback on star and planet formation

Megan Reiter, Andres Guzman, Thomas Haworth, Pamela Klaassen, Anna McLeod, Guido Garay, Joseph Mottram

Stellar feedback plays a central role in shaping and dispersing star-forming molecular clouds, but how this affects the ongoing star formation within those clouds is poorly understood. Observations that resolve individual sources and quantify their physical properties are key to make the explicit connection between feedback and its impact on nearby star and planet formation. I will present first results from a multi-wavelength study that leverages data from the VLT and ALMA to make exactly that connection. This program measures: (1) The incident ionizing radiation from nearby high-mass stars and the resulting photoevaporation rate for nearby star-forming cocoons. (2) The physical properties in the cold, molecular gas in nearby protoplanetary disks and shielded (embedded) protostars. (3) The kinematics of these systems to determine whether they are consistent with predictions for radiation-driven acceleration and collapse, indicating triggered star formation. Results from this program will provide key constraints on how long planets have to form in feedback-dominated environments.