Interferometric studies of low-mass protostars

Abstract

With the advances in high angular resolution (sub)millimeter observations of lowmass protostars, windows of opportunities are opening up for very detailed studies of the molecular structure of star forming regions on wide range of spatial scales. Deeply embedded protostars provide an important laboratory to study the chemistry of star formation-providing the link between dense regions in molecular clouds from which stars are formed, i.e., the initial conditions and the end product in terms of, e.g., disk and planet formation. High angular resolution observations at (sub)millimeter wavelengths provide an important tool for studying the chemical composition of such low-mass protostars. They for example constrain the spatial molecular abundance variations-and can thereby identify which species are useful tracers of different components of the protostars at different evolutionary stages. In this review I discuss the possibilities and limitations of using high angular resolution (sub)millimeter interferometric observations for studying the chemical evolution of low-mass protostars-with a particular keen eye toward near-future ALMA observations. © 2011 International Astronomical Union.