Ta-You Wu Professor of Physics and Astronomy; MIRA Executive Committee
About
Professor Adams works in the general area of theoretical astrophysics with a focus on the study of star formation and cosmology. He is internationally recognized for his work on the radiative signature of the star formation process, the dynamics of circumstellar disks, and the theory of the initial mass function for forming stars. His recent work includes star formation in clusters, studies of extra-solar planetary systems, and the environmental effects of clusters on planet formation. In cosmology, he has studied aspects of the inflationary universe, cosmological phase transitions, magnetic monopoles, cosmic rays, the cosmic background radiation, galactic halos of dark matter, and the long-term future of the universe.
Selected Publications
The Birth Environment of the Sun, (F. C. Adams), Annual Reviews of Astronomy and Astrophysics 48, 47-85, astro-ph/1001.5444 (2010).
Hill's Equation with Random Forcing Terms, (F. C. Adams, and A. M. Bloch), SIAM Journal of Applied Mathematics, 68, 947-980, math-ph/0705.1779 (2008).
Orbital Instabilities in a Triaxial Cusp Potential, (F. C. Adams et al.), The Astrophysical Journal, 670, 1027-1047, astro-ph/0708.3101 (2007).
Early Evolution of Stellar Groups and Clusters: Environmental Effects on Forming Planetary Systems, (F. C. Adams, E. M. Proszkow, M. Fatuzzo, and P. C. Myers), The Astrophysical Journal, 641, 504-525, astro-ph/0512330 (2006).
Photoevaporation of Circumstellar Disks due to External FUV Radiation in Stellar Aggregates, (F. C. Adams, D. Hollenbach, G. Laughlin, and U. Gorti), The Astrophysical Journal, 611, 360-379, astro-ph/0404383 (2004).
Origins of Existence: How Life Emerged in the Universe, (F. Adams), New York: The Free Press 256 pages, ISBN: 0-743-21262-2 (2002).
The Five Ages of the Universe: Inside the Physics of Eternity, (F. Adams and G. Laughlin), New York: The Free Press 256 pages, ISBN: 0-684-85422-8 (1999).
A Dying Universe: The Long Term Fate and Evolution of Astrophysical Objects, (F. C. Adams and G. Laughlin), Reviews of Modern Physics 69, 337-372 (1997).
A Theory of the Initial Mass Function for Star Formation in Molecular Clouds, (F. C. Adams and M. Fatuzzo), The Astrophysical Journal 464, 256-271 (1996).
Spectral Evolution of Young Stellar Objects, (F. C. Adams, C. J. Lada, and F. H. Shu), The Astrophysical Journal 312, 788-806 (1987).
Field(s) of Study
