Abstract

Contributed Talk - Splinter StarFormation   (MW-1250)

The chemical and physical structure of star-forming cores

Silvia Spezzano
MPE

The chemistry and physics of star- and planet-forming regions are deeply interconnected. The observations of molecular emission in star-forming cores, together with radiative transfer models, simulations, and laboratory spectroscopy, provide the necessary framework to understand the process of star and planet formation. By studying the chemical inventory and structure of star-forming cores via radioastronomical observations, we assess the budget available to forming planets (e.g., Spezzano et al. 2016 and 2017). With simulations and radiative transfer modelling, we use molecules as astrophysical tools and derive the physical structure and the dynamics of star-forming regions (e.g. Lin et al. 2022, Jensen et al. 2023 and 2026). Finally, we use laboratory spectroscopy to characterize the “fingerprint” emission of key molecules we aim to observe in star-forming regions (e.g., Ferrer Asensio et al. 2022; Bunn et al. 2025). In my talk, I will discuss how a multidisciplinary approach is crucial to understanding the process of star and planet formation by highlighting the interconnection of chemical and physical evolution in these regions.