An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
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The process by which dense parts of molecular clouds collapse into a ball of plasma to form a star. As a branch of astronomy, star formation includes the study of the interstellar medium and molecular clouds as precursors to the star formation process as well as the study of young stellar objects.

→ star; → formation.

The degree to which stars form in a system, such as a → molecular cloud or a → galaxy. It is given by the ratio of the total mass of stars to the initial gas mass: ε_SFE = M_stars / (M_stars + M_gas).

→ star formation; → efficiency.

The → star formation rate as a function of time.

→ star; → formation; → history.

The premature termination of star formation process in some galaxies. The ultimate quenching of star formation is caused by stripping of the gas reservoir which will finally turn into stars. A wide variety of mechanisms have been proposed to provide quenching. For example, → major mergers can transform spiral galaxies into ellipticals, and may also quench future star formation by ejecting the → interstellar medium from the galaxy via starburst, → active galactic nucleus, or shock-driven winds. In rich clusters, where merging is less efficient because of the large relative velocities of galaxies, rapid encounters or fly-bys may cause the formation of a bar and growth of a spheroidal component instead of larger scale star formation. Also, cold gas can be stripped out of the galaxy both by tidal forces and ram pressure in the intracluster medium. Similarly, the hot halo that provides future fuel for cooling and star formation may be efficiently stripped in dense environments, thus quenching further star formation (see, e.g., Kimm et al., 2009, MNRAS 394, 1131, arXiv:0810.2794).

→ star; → formation; → quench.

The rate at which a molecular cloud or a galaxy is currently converting gas into stars. It is given by the ratio of the number of stars to the star formation time-scale.

→ star formation; → rate.

A region in the → interstellar medium where processes of → star formation are going on or have occurred in the past.

→ star; → formation; → region.

The time necessary for a star to form. It depends inversely on the stellar mass.

→ star formation; → time scale.

A region in which → star formation is going on.

→ star; → formation; → region.

A stopping place for trains or other land vehicles, for the transfer of freight or passengers. → space station.

M.E., from O.Fr. station, from L. stationem (nominative statio) "a standing, job, position," related to stare "to stand," cognate with Pers. istâdan "to stand," as below.

Istgâh "standing place," from ist present stem of istâdan "to stand" (Mid.Pers. êstâtan; O.Pers./Av. sta- "to stand, stand still; set;" Av. hištaiti; cf. Skt. sthâ- "to stand;" Gk. histemi "put, place, weigh," stasis "a standing still;" L. stare "to stand;" Lith. statau "place;" Goth. standan; PIE base *sta- "to stand") + gâh "place; time" (Mid.Pers. gâh, gâs "time;" O.Pers. gāθu-; Av. gātav-, gātu- "place, throne, spot;" cf. Skt. gâtu- "going, motion; free space for moving; place of abode;" PIE *gwem- "to go, come").

Having a fixed, unchanging position; motionless. geostationary orbit

M.E. from L. stationarius, in classical L., "of a military station," from statio, → station.

Isatvar, from ist present stem of istâdan "to stand" (Mid.Pers. êstâtan; O.Pers./Av. sta- "to stand, stand still; set;" Av. hištaiti; cf. Skt. sthâ- "to stand;" Gk. histemi "put, place, weigh," stasis "a standing still;" L. stare "to stand;" Lith. statau "place;" Goth. standan; PIE base *sta- "to stand") + -var suffix of possession, variant -ur (Mid.Pers. -uwar, -war; from O.Pers. -bara, from bar- "to bear, carry").

A → black hole with zero → angular momentum, that does not rotate.

→ stationary; → black hole.

A property of → space-time outside a → rotating black hole, which consists of a surface which geometrically bounds the → ergosphere outward. At the stationary limit a particle would have to move with the local light velocity in order to appear stationary to a distant observer. This is because the space here is being dragged at exactly the speed of light relative to the rest of space. Outside this limit space is still dragged, but at a rate less than the speed of light. Also known as → static limit.

→ stationary; → limit; → surface.

Electronics: A random noise whose intensity remains constant with time.

→ stationary; → noise.

An orbit in which the satellite revolves about the primary at the angular rate at which the primary rotates on its axis. From the primary, the satellite thus appears to be stationary over a point on the primary.

→ stationary; → orbit.

Mechanics: The condition of a body or system at rest.

→ stationary; → phase.

1) Math.: For a → function y = f(x), a point at which the → tangent to the graph is horizontal. In other words, a point where the → slope is zero: dy/dx = 0.
2) Of a planet, the position at which the rate of change of its apparent → right ascension is momentarily zero.

→ stationary; → point.

An artificial satellite in a synchronous orbit. → geostationary orbit

→ stationary; → satellite.

A → time series if it obeys the following criteria: 1) Constant → mean over time (t). 2) Constant → variance for all t, and 3) The → autocovariance function between X_t1 and X_t2 only depends on the interval t₁ and t₂.

→ stationary; → time; → series.

Same as → standing wave.

→ stationary; → wave.

Any collection of individuals or items from which → samples are drawn. See also → finite population, → infinite population.

→ statistical; → population.