2nd European School on Jets from Young Stars:

High Angular Resolution Observations

 

Marciana Marina (Elba Island - Italy), September 4-8, 2006

 

Scientific Aims

                         
Atomic jets and molecular outflows from Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) are among the most spectacular of astrophysical phenomena, and are believed to play a fundamental role in the formation process of a new star. Although YSO jets can span several parsecs, many of their properties, related to important and as yet unclear aspects of their nature, are defined on distances of tens of AU or less. This is the case, for example, of the cooling regions behind the internal shocks where their emission is generated, or the zone close to the star and the accretion disk where jets are accelerated and collimated. Thus to test models of their generation and propagation, even for the nearest star formation region, jets must be observed on sub-arcsecond scales.
 
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In the recent past new High Angular Resolution (HAR) tools, such as, for example, observations using Adaptive Optics, have allowed astronomers to begin to probe the small scales of interest. Moreover, through the application of dedicated diagnostic techniques, the physical conditions in key regions of the jet could be determined for the first time.
This has helped enormously to constrain models. It is clear, however, that in order to take advantage of these new developments and techniques, the European astronomical community needs to train young researchers in preparing, executing and interpreting HAR observations. The aim of this school is therefore to provide the attendees with a background in modern High Angular Resolution observational astrophysics, illustrating how top-quality results have been/can be obtained for the environment of YSOs.

The lecture program includes presentations on: observing from space with HST and in the future with JWST; observing from the ground with Adaptive Optics; use of Interferometers at millimeter and infrared wavelengths; Spectro-astrometry. Image analysis and spectral diagnostic procedures to interpret the data will also be discussed. A special session on HAR studies of the inner regions of circumstellar disks, which play a fundamental role in jet launching, is also foreseen. Finally, two sessions on writing papers and proposals as well as developing public outreach skills will be provided.
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This is the second in a series of five schools organised by the Marie Curie research training network JETSET (Jet Simulations, Experiments and Theories). The first JETSET school (I - Theoretical MHD Models and Constraints) took place near Grenoble in January 2006. Forthcoming schools will cover the following topics :
III- Numerical MHD and Instabilities,
IV- Grid Technology and Applications to Astrophysics,
V- From Models to Observations and Experiments.
The observational results to be illustrated at the Elba school constitute a benchmark of analytical, numerical and radiative models of YSO jets. All young scientists working in the field are thus encouraged to attend.