This review examines observations of magnetic fields in molecular clouds and what those
observations tell us about the theory of molecular cloud evolution and star formation. First …

We review current understanding of star formation, outlining an overall theoretical framework
and the observations that motivate it. A conception of star formation has emerged in which …

The role of turbulence and magnetic fields is studied for star formation in molecular clouds.
We derive and compare six theoretical models for the star formation rate (SFR)—the …

We review recent determinations of the present‐day mass function (PDMF) and initial mass
function (IMF) in various components of the Galaxy—disk, spheroid, young, and globular …

Understanding the formation of stars in galaxies is central to much of modern astrophysics.
However, a quantitative prediction of the star formation rate and the initial distribution of …

Star formation lies at the center of a web of processes that drive cosmic evolution:
generation of radiant energy, synthesis of elements, formation of planets, and development …

▪ Abstract Turbulence affects the structure and motions of nearly all temperature and density
regimes in the interstellar gas. This two-part review summarizes the observations, theory …

Cold dark clouds are nearby members of the densest and coldest phase in the Galactic
interstellar medium, and represent the most accessible sites where stars like our Sun are …

This book presents an introduction to, and modern account of, magnetohydrodynamic
(MHD) turbulence, an active field both in general turbulence theory and in various areas of …

We derive an analytic prediction for the star formation rate in environments ranging from
normal galactic disks to starbursts and ULIRGs in terms of the observables of those systems …