Previous
abstract 
Next
abstract
Session 7 - Molecular Clouds.
Display session, Wednesday, January 07
Exhibit Hall,
Bok globules are the smallest and simplest molecular clouds. Despite their small size, star formation does occur in some of these clouds; and because many of the complexities that are part of a Giant Molecular Cloud (e.g. star burst episodes) are absent in Bok globules, the process of star formation may be much easier to study in these uncomplicated environments. Stars that form in Bok globules may form as single, isolated protostars, perhaps making them analogs of the young sun. Consequently, in the last few years, an increasing amount of research has been directed toward the smaller Bok globules. In order to supplement previous near-infrared surveys of northern hemisphere globules, we present the results of a near-infrared survey of IRAS sources associated with globules observed at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. We identify specific protostellar candidates and near-infrared reflection nebulae associated with these globules and present estimates of the efficiency with which stars form in Bok globules.
