Transformational Science with ALMA

Transformational Science with ALMA:

The Birth and Feedback of Massive Stars, Within and Beyond the Galaxy
A workshop held in Charlottesville, Virginia September 25-27 2008
Sponsored by the
North American ALMA Science Center
of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory
and the
Astronomy Department of the University of Virginia

New: PDF versions of most of the talks have been posted to the scientific program.

New: Article about meeting from October 2008 NRAO eNews.

Key Science Questions:

What physics determines star formation scaling relations in galaxies?
What molecular cloud properties influence massive star formation?
What are optimal probes of the physical conditions in massive star forming regions?
How does massive star formation differ in the most extreme environments (Galactic center, super star clusters, starburst galaxies)?
What are the best observational discriminators between theories of massive star/cluster formation?
How do forming massive stars affect their parent molecular clouds (e.g. turbulence, triggering)?
What effects do young massive clusters have on their parent galaxies (e.g. galactic winds, triggering)?
How can ALMA best address these questions?

See meeting philosophy for more information.

Scientific Organizing Committee:

Local Organizing Committee: