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 physics of molecular clouds. His recent work includes star formation in clusters, the development of a theory for the initial mass function for forming stars, and studies of extra-solar planetary systems. In cosmology, he has studied many aspects of the inflationary universe, cosmological phase transitions, magnetic monopoles, cosmic rays, anti-matter, the cosmic background radiation, galactic halos of dark matter, and the long-term future of the universe.
Selected Publications
A Theoretical Model for the Mbh— ó Relation for Supermassive Black Holes in Galaxies, (F. C. Adams, D. S. Graff, and D. O. Richstone), The Astrophysical Journal Letters 551, L31-35 astro-ph/0010549 (2001).
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).
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)
Origins of Existence: How Life Emerged in the Universe, (F. Adams), New York: The Free Press 256 pages, ISBN: 0-743-21262-2 (2002).
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).
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).
Orbital Instabilities in a Triaxial Cusp Potential, (F. C. Adams et al.), The Astrophysical Journal, 670, 1027-1047, astro-ph/0708.3101 (2007).
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).
