2017/05/31 by Frederique Motte, Sylvain Bontemps, Fabien Louvet · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #astro-ph.GA #astro-ph.SR
paper · pdf · doi:10.1146/annurev-astro-091916-055235
published as 2018, ARA&A 56 · ARAA review to be published in September 2017. 54 pages, 33 figures Please ask the 1st author for a pdf version with proper format
arxiv created 2017/05/31 · arxiv updated 2018/03/19
This review examines the state-of-the-art knowledge of high-mass star and massive cluster formation, gained from ambitious observational surveys, which acknowledge the multi-scale characteristics of these processes. After a brief overview of theoretical models and main open issues, we present observational searches for the evolutionary phases of high-mass star formation, first among high-luminosity sources and more recently among young massive protostars and the elusive high-mass prestellar cores. We then introduce the most likely evolutionary scenario for high-mass star formation, which emphasizes the link of high-mass star formation to massive cloud and cluster formation. Finally, we introduce the first attempts to search for variations of the star formation activity and cluster formation in molecular cloud complexes, in the most extreme star-forming sites, and across the Milky Way. The combination of Galactic plane surveys and high-angular resolution images with submillimeter facilities such as Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) are prerequisites to make significant progresses in the forthcoming decade.