Spitzer Space Telescope - Guaranteed Time Observer Proposal #40440


Subarray observations of bright young stars

Principal Investigator: Giovanni Fazio
           Institution: Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

     Technical Contact: Luis Chavarria, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

Co-Investigators: 
Luis Chavarria, SAO                                                   
Lori Alllen, SAO                                                      
Joseph Hora, SAO                                                      

Science Category: star formation 
 Observing Modes: IracMap 
  Hours Approved: 0.4 

Abstract:
We propose to carry out IRAC subarray imaging of bright embedded stars in three
of the high mass star forming regions previously imaged with IRAC: S255, NGC7538
and AFGL4029. All three regions contain deeply embedded high mass protostars in
high extinction molecular clouds. These subarray mode observations will enable
us to obtain unsaturated measurements of the massive protostars and to probe
these high extinction regions for deeply embedded associated stars. From this
measurement, we can estimate the stellar densities in the immediate vicinities
of forming high mass stars and test theories which explain the formation of high
mass stars through collisions of lower mass stars.