Related papers: Massive Star Forming Regions: from diagnostic tool…
We summarize the status of our program of near-infrared adaptive optics observations of ultracompact HII regions. By means of selected results we demonstrate the usefulness of this technique for disentangling the complexity of massive…
We present some results of an on-going project aimed at studying a sample of Galactic HII regions ionized by a single massive star to test the predictions of modern generation stellar atmosphere codes in the H Lyman continuum. The…
We review the main stellar features observed in starburst spectra from the UV to the near-IR and their use as fundamental tools to determine the properties of stellar populations from integrated spectra. The origin and dependence of the…
RHII and starbursts are both powered by massive stars. They are the main contributors to the heating of the ISM via radiative and mechanical energy. Techniques to derive the stellar content and the evolutionary state of RHIIs and starbursts…
This chapter reviews progress in the field of massive star formation. It focuses on evidence for accretion and current models that invoke high accretion rates. In particular it is noted that high accretion rates will cause the massive young…
Velocity shifts and differential broadening of radio recombination lines are used to estimate the densities and velocities of the ionized gas in several hypercompact and ultracompact HII regions. These small HII regions are thought to be at…
Massive stars have a profound influence on the Universe, but their formation remains poorly understood. We review the current status of observational and theoretical research in this field, describing the various stages of an evolutionary…
The determination of chemical composition is crucial for investigating the formation and evolution of star forming galaxies and provides a powerful tool to constrain the effects of galactic winds and accretion from the cosmic web. In this…
This article presents recent work to constrain the physical and chemical properties in high-mass star formation based largely on interferometric high-spatial-resolution continuum and spectral line studies at (sub)mm wavelengths. After…
Massive stars play a fundamental role in shaping the evolution of galaxies through feedback, chemical enrichment, and their end products as neutron stars and black holes. Despite major progress in the last decade, key uncertainties remain…
Far-ultraviolet (900-1200A) spectral synthesis of nine giant extragalactic HII regions in M 33 and M 101 is performed to study their massive stellar content. Several parameters are quantified, predicted, and compared to the literature: age,…
We consider some aspects of the evolution of massive stars which can only be elucidated by means of "indirect" observations, i.e. measurements of the effects of massive stars on their environments. We discuss in detail the early evolution…
Massive stars condition the evolution of the interstellar medium by the amount of energy released during their lives and especially by their deaths as supernova explosions. The vast amounts of spectroscopic data for massive stars provided…
Starburst galaxies are powered by massive stars. These stars dominate the heating and enrichment with heavy elements of the interstellar medium, gas out of which new stars form. Thus, high-mass stars, and in consequence starburst galaxies,…
The galaxies of the Local Group that are currently forming stars can serve as our laboratories for understanding star formation and the evolution of massive stars. In this talk I will summarize what I think we've learned about these topics…
Crucial progress in our understanding of star formation and feedback will depend on the ability to obtain spatially resolved spectroscopic observations of \ion{H}{ii} regions, from which reliable instantaneous measurements of their physical…
Observations of star-forming galaxies in the distant Universe have confirmed the importance of massive stars in shaping galaxy emission and evolution. Distant stellar populations are unresolved, and the limited data available must be…
We present a review of observational studies of high-mass star formation, based mainly on our own research. It includes surveys of high-mass star-forming regions in various molecular lines and in continuum, investigations of filamentary…
Cloud environment is thought to play a critical role in determining the mechanism of formation of massive stars. In this contribution we review the physical characteristics of the environment around recently formed massive stars. Particular…
After briefly reviewing the impact of various parameters on photoionization models, we illustrate the importance of the nebular geometry by two examples: we first compare the results from models with thin shell and full shell geometry, and…