Initiativkolleg I033-N - The Cosmic Matter Circuit

In the Universe the baryonic matter exists in various states, caused by energetic and dynamical processes and mainly determined by gravitation and energy release of massive stars. These drive matter cycles on different spatial and temporal scales. This lecture is focussing on the matter cycle on small scales of stars with their direct interstellar environment. It comprises star formation in the cool cores of molecular clouds, stellar evolution and the element production during the lives of stars, stellar mass loss and the final stages of stellar evolution. The tight coupling of stars with their surrounding interstellar medium, their influence on the chemical, dynamical and energetic state of the interstellar medium and the interstellar matter cycle are comprehensively considered.

In-depth studies of selected topics from the lecture will be performed by the students using state-of-the-art literature and observational material. The results will be presented and discussed in the wider context of the present research.

In this seminar current research studies by master and doctoral students as well as actual results from the literature in the dedicated fields by participants not yet involved in specified thesis topics will be presented.