Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Part I Abundances in the Galaxy: field stars
- Part II Abundances in the Galaxy: Galactic stars in clusters, bulges and the centre
- Part III Observations – abundances in extragalactic contexts
- Part IV Stellar populations and mass functions
- Part V Physical processes at high metallicity
- Part VI Formation and evolution of metal-rich stars and stellar yields
- 36 Massive-star evolution at high metallicity
- 37 Supernovae in Galactic evolution: direct and indirect metallicity effects
- 38 Progenitor evolution of Type-I supernovae: evolution and implications for yields
- 39 Star formation in the metal-rich Universe
- 40 Metallicity of Solar-type main-sequence stars: seismic tests
- 41 Chemical-abundance gradients in early-type galaxies
- 42 Oxygen-rich droplets and the enrichment of the interstellar medium
- Part VII Chemical and photometric evolution beyond Solar metallicity
39 - Star formation in the metal-rich Universe
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Part I Abundances in the Galaxy: field stars
- Part II Abundances in the Galaxy: Galactic stars in clusters, bulges and the centre
- Part III Observations – abundances in extragalactic contexts
- Part IV Stellar populations and mass functions
- Part V Physical processes at high metallicity
- Part VI Formation and evolution of metal-rich stars and stellar yields
- 36 Massive-star evolution at high metallicity
- 37 Supernovae in Galactic evolution: direct and indirect metallicity effects
- 38 Progenitor evolution of Type-I supernovae: evolution and implications for yields
- 39 Star formation in the metal-rich Universe
- 40 Metallicity of Solar-type main-sequence stars: seismic tests
- 41 Chemical-abundance gradients in early-type galaxies
- 42 Oxygen-rich droplets and the enrichment of the interstellar medium
- Part VII Chemical and photometric evolution beyond Solar metallicity
Summary
I review current models of star formation and discuss potential effects of high metallicity. Our current paradigm for star formation is that it is a dynamical process in which molecular clouds and regions of star formation form on their local dynamical times. Molecular clouds are characterised by turbulent motions, which, together with gravity, lead to their fragmentation and the formation of individual stars. The resulting distribution of stellar masses can be most easily understood as a combination of fragmentation, continued accretion to form higher-mass stars and dynamical interactions. Regions of high metallicity are likely to differ in terms of their star formation in three main areas: the formation of molecular gas on grains; the cooling processes which determine the characteristic stellar mass; and the higher opacity of dust grains, which increases the effects of radiation pressure in limiting the growth of massive stars by accretion. Characterising star formation in regions of high metallicity will allow accurate determinations of these effects.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Metal-Rich Universe , pp. 380 - 392Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2008