Studies of pre-main-sequence stars with integral field spectrographs

We review the contribution of integral field spectroscopy (IFS) to pre-main-sequence star studies. These studies are mostly synoptic in nature reflecting the use of this technique in addressing difficult and complex objects. Physical diagnostics were derived from IFS data such as (atomic, molecular) gas excitation and pre-shock densities, gas morphology and spectra from close binaries. Models for the sources are directly tested: shock models (planar, bow-shock) and magneto-hydrodynamics jet models. Future contributions to the field are addressed. Surveys of mass loss across age and mass spectrum and in the nearby Orion Nebula cluster emerge as the most scientifically promising. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.