The Initial Core Mass Function due to Ambipolar Diffusion in Molecular Clouds

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 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.

5 pages, 4 figures, accepted by MNRAS-L

References in corpus (6)

• Theory of Star Formation
• A SCUBA survey of Orion, the low-mass end of the core mass function
• Magnetically Regulated Star Formation in 3D: The Case of Taurus Molecular Cloud Complex
• The initial conditions of star formation VIII: an observational study of the Ophiuchus cloud L1688 and implications for the prestellar core mass function
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Cited by in corpus (22)

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• The Dynamics of Massive Starless Cores with ALMA
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• The IMF of stellar clusters: effects of accretion and feedback
• The Core Mass Function in the Massive Protocluster G286.21+0.17 revealed by ALMA
• Herschel Observations of a Potential Core Forming Clump: Perseus B1-E
• Lowering the Characteristic Mass of Cluster Stars by Magnetic Fields and Outflow Feedback
• The Darkest Shadows: Deep Mid-Infrared Extinction Mapping of a Massive Protocluster
• "Starless" Super-Jeans Cores in Four Gould Belt Clouds
• The Interstellar Medium and Star Formation of Galactic Disks. I. ISM and GMC properties with Diffuse FUV and Cosmic Ray Backgrounds
• Physical properties of dense cores in Orion B9
• Non-ideal MHD simulations of subcritical prestellar cores with non-equilibrium chemistry
• Two-Stage Fragmentation for Cluster Formation: Analytical Model and Observational Considerations
• Universal protoplanetary disk size under complete non-ideal magnetohydrodynamics: The interplay between ion-neutral friction, Hall effect, and the Ohmic dissipation
• Variation of the Core Lifetime and Fragmentation Scale in Molecular Clouds as an Indication of Ambipolar Diffusion
• Core Emergence in a Massive Infrared Dark Cloud: A Comparison Between Mid-IR Extinction and 1.3 mm Emission
• Theories of the initial mass function
• The Effect of Magnetic Fields and Ambipolar Diffusion on Core Mass Functions
• Formation of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs
• Comparison of Low-Mass and High-Mass Star Formation
• Fire from Ice - Massive Star Birth from Infrared Dark Clouds
• From Interstellar Clouds to Stars