Studies of massive star forming regions at infrared wavelengths

by Dr Watson P. Varricatt (United Kingdom Infrared Telescope, Hawaii, USA.)

Tuesday 7 Jul 2015, 16:00 → 17:00 Asia/Kolkata

DAA Seminar A269 (TIFR)

Low-mass stars are known to form primarily through disk accretion. When it comes to massive stars, this has been a debated topic. The objections to accretion as the leading mechanism came from observational and theoretical considerations, and alternative scenarios like merger of lower mass stars were proposed. However, recent observational studies show evidence for objects up to at least late-O spectral types forming through disk accretion. We have been observing massive star forming regions using the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope to understand the mechanisms leading to their formation. In this talk, I will present some of the interesting results from our studies.