Oral Presentation

Multi-Wavelength and Multi-Scale Characterization of Protostellar Evolution

Author(s): Christian Flores (ASIAA), Nagayoshi Ohashi (ASIAA), Michael Connelley (IfA, Hawaii)

Presenter: Christian Flores (ASIAA)

Understanding the protostellar phase and early stellar evolution requires a multi-wavelength and multi-scale approach, where key components—such as the envelope, disk, and central protostellar source—are simultaneously characterized and studied in detail. In this talk, I will present an integrated approach that combines infrared spectroscopic observations of protostellar sources, single-dish envelope characterization with JCMT, and (soon) ALMA observations of protoplanetary disks across a sample of approximately 40 sources. By leveraging observations from infrared to millimeter wavelengths, spanning six orders of magnitude in spatial scale, we can robustly characterize fundamental properties of the star formation process, including protostellar mass, age, evolutionary stage, and mass accretion mechanisms. In particular, I will demonstrate how this combined approach enables the chronological classification of protostars while simultaneously testing theoretical models of stellar evolution. This pioneering approach will reach its full potential once next-generation Thirty Meter Telescopes systematically observe the most embedded and earliest protostellar systems with high efficiency.