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Toward
a Complete Spectroscopic and Imaging Survey of Giant Molecular Clouds
Giant
Molecular Clouds (GMCs) are the dominant sites of star formation in the
Galaxy, yet the nature and distribution of their young stellar content has
yet to be thoroughly or systematically investigated due to the large distances
to and large angular sizes of the clouds. We are using the world’s first
near-IR multi-object spectrometer called FLAMINGOS,
on the Kitt Peak 2.1-m and 4-m telescopes to obtain sensitive near-IR imaging
surveys and for the first time extensive near-IR spectral classifications
for stars in GMCs. The goals of this survey are to determine the number
and spatial extent of young stars in the clouds and to measure their ages
and masses. The data will also be used to study the inital mass function
and to address such fundamental issues as the variations of star formation
efficiency and rate from cloud to cloud, the formation of clusters and sequential
star formation.
Investigators: Elizabeth Lada(PI), Richard Elston, Joao Alves,
Bruno Ferreira, Chris Foltz, Charles Lada, Joanna Levine, August Muench,
Nick Raines, Noah Rashkind, Carlos Roman
FLAMINGOS was designed and constructed by the IR instrumentation group
(PI: R. Elston) at the University of Florida, Department of Astronomy with
support from NSF grant (AST97-31180) and Kitt Peak National Observatory.
The data were collected under the NOAO Survey Program, "Towards a Complete
Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Survey of Giant Molecular Clouds" (PI: E. Lada)
and supported by NSF grants, AST97-3367 and AST02-02976 to the University
of Florida.
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