Magnetic Braking and the Formation of Protostellar Disks

I will present analytical and numerical work showing that the formation of rotationally supported disks is severely hampered by catastrophic magnetic braking during the gravitational collapse phase of magnetized interstellar clouds. I will then review proposed solutions to this problem and consider the implications of magnetic
braking for current and future observations of rotationally supported disks around young stars.

Brief CV of Dr. Daniele Galli:

His main research interests concern the physical and chemical processes occurring in the interstellar medium and, in particular, the process of star formation. He has developed theoretical models to study the dynamic impact of the interstellar magnetic field on the collapse of molecular cloud cores and to investigate the effects of cosmic ray ionization on the chemical, thermal, and dynamic properties of the interstellar medium.