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| EPoS Contribution |
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SOFIA - Status and Highlights
Hans Zinnecker SOFIA, Mountain View, US | |
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The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is getting
fully operational
and is producing imaging and spectroscopic results of compact star forming
regions
at mid-infrared and far-infrared wavelengths beyond what Spitzer and Herschel
have achieved. However, NASA funding of the project is currently in jeopardy. We will report on the current status of this discussion, ongoing actions, and the decision process. We will give a progress report discussing some scientific highlights obtained with the FORCAST camera and the GREAT heterodyne spectrometer (e.g. 20-40 micron images of Orion BNKL and THz ammonia absorption indicating infall in high-mass star forming clumps as well as THz high-J CO emission of deeply embedded outflows). These observations shed new light on the process of massive star formation, including early phases of protostellar feedback. Time permitting, the future potential of SOFIA to study early stellar evolution will be briefly discussed. | |
| Collaborators: E.E. Becklin J. De Buizer G. Sandell |
Key publication
Suggested Sessions: Massive Star Formation and Feedback |