Spitzer Space Telescope - General Observer Proposal #50758


Star Formation in the Outer Galaxy

Principal Investigator: Meredith Drosback
           Institution: University of Colorado

     Technical Contact: Meredith Drosback, University of Colorado

Co-Investigators: 
James Aguirre, University of Colorado                                 
John Bally, University of Colorado                                    
Adam Ginsburg, University of Colorado                                 
Jason Glenn, University of Colorado                                   
Paul Harvey, Uniersity of Texas, Austin                               
Miranda Nordhaus, University of Texas, Austin                         
Erik Rosolowsky, Harvard Center for Astrophysics                      
Jonathan Williams, University of Hawaii                               

Science Category: star formation 
 Observing Modes: IracMap MipsScan 
  Hours Approved: 13.1 

Abstract:
We propose to obtain IRAC and MIPS scans of a well-defined region toward the
galactic anti-center. We have 1.1 mm images of the region from the Bolocam
Galactic Plane Survey (BGPS), and will use the combined infrared and millimeter
wavelength data sets to study the formation of stars in this unique environment.
The gas in the outer galaxy has different physical properties, such as
metallicity and interstellar pressure, than the more typical star-forming
regions in the galactic center thus enabling us to compare the star formation
process across a wide range of environments. We will use the combined MIPS,
IRAC, and BGPS images to characterize the morphology of the young protostellar
cores at various wavelengths. We will measure physical properties such as size
and mass, and create continuous spectral energy distributions of these cores
from 3.6 microns to 1.1 mm in order to determine their stage of star formation.
The mid- and far-infrared images from Spitzer are a crucial piece of this study
to elucidate the nature of star formation in the outer galaxy.