This $410,294 National Science Foundation project grant funds an undergraduate group research project led by the University of Arizona to conduct large-scale mapping of filaments and cores in nearby molecular clouds. The project aligns with the NSF Mathematical and Physical Sciences program's goals of advancing scientific knowledge and understanding of major problems in these fields.
Specifically, the grant supports using the Arizona Radio Observatory 12m telescope to map the Taurus and Aquila Rift molecular clouds at resolutions able to probe filaments and dense cores where stars form. Observations of complementary molecular line tracers like HCN, H13CN, CS, SO, NH2D, C-C3H2 and CH3OH will constrain the co-evolution of filaments and cores at intermediate to high gas densities. In addition to providing a legacy dataset for the astronomy community, the project offers undergraduate researchers a unique group learning experience in studying the complex processes controlling mass flow and star formation in molecular clouds. Results will impact understanding of unresolved extragalactic star formation studies. The three-year grant period began on September 1, 2022.