Description:

While the stages in the formation of stellar systems are now well charted, uncertainties in the initial conditions and evolution lead to stellar systems with a diverse array of architectures. In this talk, we will tour the major stages in the growth and evolution of young stellar objects, from the young protostars to young stars that have dispersed all circumstellar material. At each step I will use variability to describe the relevant physical processes and also as an empirical complication in measurements. I will also highlight the JCMT Transient Program, the first dedicated sub-mm monitoring program, to measure the role of bursts in the earliest stages of stellar assembly.

Greg Herczeg, Professor, Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University

Host: Meng Sun