Related papers: The Protostellar Mass Function
The protostellar luminosity function (PLF) is the present-day luminosity function of the protostars in a region of star formation. It is determined using the protostellar mass function (PMF) in combination with a stellar evolutionary model…
In an improved model of protostar mass functions (PMFs), protostars gain mass from isothermal cores in turbulent clumps. Their mass accretion rate is similar to Shu accretion at low mass, and to reduced Bondi accretion at high mass.…
Knowledge of protostellar evolution has been revolutionized with the advent of surveys at near-infrared to submillimeter wavelengths. This has enabled the bolometric luminosities and bolometric temperatures (traditional protostellar…
The mass of a protostar is calculated from the infall and dispersal of an isothermal sphere in a uniform background. For high contrast between peak and background densities and for short dispersal time t_d, the accretion is "self-limiting":…
We analyse protostellar mass accretion rates from numerical models of star formation based on gravoturbulent fragmentation, considering a large number of different environments. To within one order of magnitude, the mass accretion rate is…
The stellar initial mass function (IMF) is a fundamental property of star formation, offering key insight into the physics driving the process as well as informing our understanding of stellar populations, their by-products, and their…
We present a preliminary view of the protostellar mass-luminosity relation using current samples of protostars with dynamical mass estimates. To provide a lower limit to the expected luminosities, we adopt an empirical estimate for the…
Stars collect most of their mass during the protostellar stage, yet the accretion luminosity and stellar parameters, which are needed to compute the mass accretion rate, are poorly constrained for the youngest sources. The aim of this work…
We present a method of determining lower limits on the masses of pre-main-sequence (PMS) stars and so constraining the PMS evolutionary tracks. This method uses the red-shifted absorption feature observed in some emission-line profiles of T…
The process of mass accretion onto Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) plays a fundamental role in determining the final stellar mass and setting the initial conditions for planet formation. Despite its critical role, our understanding of…
The current status of both the observational evidence and the theory of the stellar initial mass function (IMF) is reviewed, with particular attention to the two basic, apparently universal features shown by all observations of nearby…
Identifying the processes that determine strength, duration and variability of protostellar mass growth is a fundamental ingredient of any theory of star formation. I discuss protostellar mass accretion rates dM/dt from numerical models…
The core mass function (CMF) of prestellar cores is essential for understanding the initial conditions of star and cluster formation. However, the universality of the CMF and its relationship to the initial mass function (IMF) remain…
The measured star-formation rates (SFRs) of galaxies comprise an important constraint on galaxy evolution and also on their cosmological boundary conditions. Any available tracer of the SFR depends on the shape of the mass-distribution of…
We have undertaken a systematic study of pre-main sequence (PMS) stars spanning a wide range of masses (0.5 - 4 Msolar), metallicities (0.1 - 1 Zsolar) and ages (0.5 - 30 Myr). We have used the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to identify and…
Star formation is intimately linked to the dynamical evolution of molecular clouds. Turbulent fragmentation determines where and when protostellar cores form, and how they contract and grow in mass via accretion from the surrounding cloud…
We present a theoretical model for primordial star formation. First we describe the structure of the initial gas cores as virialized, quasi-hydrostatic objects in accord with recent high resolution numerical studies. The accretion rate can…
We review current theories for the origin of the Stellar Initial Mass Function (IMF) with particular focus on the extent to which the IMF can be considered universal across various environments. To place the issue in an observational…
The stellar initial mass function (IMF) is playing a critical role in the history of our universe. We propose a theory that is based solely on local processes, namely the dust opacity limit, the tidal forces and the properties of the…
The stellar Initial Mass Function (IMF) seems to be close to universal in the local star-forming regions. However, this quantity of a newborn stellar population responds differently at gas metallicities $Z \sim$ $Z_\odot$ than $Z$ = 0. A…