Supervisors

The aim of this thesis is the characterization of the proto-stellar population of a star forming region (about one square degree) of the Vela Giant Molecular Cloud Complex, paying particular attention on the correlation between young objects and physical and morphological characteristics of the cloud interstellar medium. As a by-product, ob-servational targets for new generation instrumentation have been also identified. Giant Molecular Clouds contain over 80 % of the molecular hydrogen content of the Galaxy and are now considered responsible for most of the star birth. They thus represent the most promising sites for the research activity on star formation. By analysing the large-scale cloud structure we describe the gas-dust condensations inside which collapse into new stars begins. It follows a detailed inspection of both the infrared emission arising from such condensations and of the mass-loss phenomena (jets and outflows) associated with the youngest objects. This allows us to draw interesting conclusions regarding the star-forming modalities, both within each condensation and, more in general, within the cloud, enabling a comparison with other Galactic clouds