Activity of Herbig Be stars and their environment

Abstract

The Herbig Ae/Be stars are the high-mass counterparts of the T Tauri stars, and are therefore considered as the pre-main sequence progenitors of the A/B stars. These stars are still contracting towards the main sequence, and are surrounded by dust and gas, remnants of their parental molecular cloud. In order to understand the formation processes at high mass, as well as the magnetic and rotation properties of the MS A/B stars, it is fundamental to understand the structure of the circumstellar matter of the Herbig Ae/Be stars, as well as the interaction of these PMS stars with their close environment. In this talk I will review our current knowledge about the properties of the circumstellar environment of the Herbig Ae/Be stars as well as the possible physical processes at the origin of their observed activities. © International Astronomical Union 2011.