This book details complex physical processes involved in the creation and early evolution of stars. It illustrates how these processes reveal themselves from radio wavelengths to high energy X-rays and gamma-rays, with reference towards high energy signatures.

Starburst regions in nearby and distant galaxies have a profound impact on our understanding of the early universe. This new, substantially updated and extended edition of Norbert Schulz's unique book "From Dust to Stars" describes complex physical processes involved in the creation and early evolution of stars. It illustrates how these processes reveal themselves from radio wavelengths to high energy X-rays and gammarays, with special reference towards high energy signatures. Several sections devoted to key analysis techniques demonstrate how modern research in this field is pursued and new chapters are introduced on massive star formation, proto-planetary disks and observations of young exoplanets. Recent advances and contemporary research on the theory of star formation are explained, as are new observations, specifically from the three great observatories of the Spitzer Space Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory which all now operate at the same time and make high resolution space based observing in its prime. As indicated by the new title two new chapters have been included on proto-planetary disks and young exoplanets. Many more colour images illustrate attractive old and new topics that have evolved in recent years. The author gives updates in theory, fragmentation, dust, and circumstellar disks and emphasizes and strengthens the targeting of graduate students and young researchers, focusing more on computational approaches in this edition.

2nd edition of successful book Outlines recent advances and contemporary research on the theory of star formation Includes new chapters on massive star formation, proto-planetary disks and observations of young exoplanets Describes new observations, specifically from the current array of space observatories Provides updates in star formation theory, cloud fragmentation, dust, and circumstellar disks This 2nd edition now hosts some sets of problems and their solutions suitable for graduate course work Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Inhalt
About the Book.- Historical Background.- Studies of Interstellar Matter.- Molecular Clouds and Cores.- Concepts of Stellar Collapse.- Evolution of Young Stellar Objects.- Multiplicity in Star Formation.- Accretion Phenomena and Magnetic Activity in YSOs.- Massive Star Formation.- High-energy Signatures in YSOs.- Star-Forming Regions.- Proto-solar Systems and the Sun.- Proto- and Exoplanets.- Gas Dynamics.- Magnetic Fields and Plasmas.- Radiative Interactions with Matter.- Spectroscopy.- Abbreviations.- Institutes, Observatories, and Instruments.- Variables, Constants, and Units.