Abstract
We show that the ambipolar-diffusion-initiated fragmentation of molecular clouds leads simply and naturally to an initial core mass function (CMF) which is very similar to the initial stellar mass function (IMF) and is in excellent agreement with existing observations. This agreement is robust provided that the three (input) free parameters remain within their range of values suggested by observations. Other, observationally testable, predictions are made.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | L94-L98 |
| Journal | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters |
| Volume | 399 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 2009 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science
Keywords
- Diffusion
- ISM: clouds
- ISM: individual: orion
- Magnetic fields
- Stars: formation
- Stars: luminosity function, mass function
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Kunz, M. W., & Mouschovias, T. C. (2009). The initial core mass function due to ambipolar diffusion in molecular clouds. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, 399(1), L94-L98. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3933.2009.00731.x