2007/11/26 by Mordecai-Mark Mac Low, Mordecai‐Mark Mac Low, Mac Low, Mordecai-Mark
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #FOS: Physical sciences #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0711.4047
for publication in the proceedings of "Massive Star Formation: Observations Confront Thoery", ASP conference series, eds. H. Beuther et al., 10 pages
arxiv created 2007/11/26 · openalex publication_date 2007/11/26 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
I review the evidence for the importance of feedback from massive stars at small and large scales. The feedback mechanisms include accretion luminosity, ionizing radiation, collimated outflows, and stellar winds. The good news is that feedback doesn't entirely prevent the formation of massive stars, while the bad news is that we don't know what does limit their masses. Feedback from massive stars also influences their surroundings. I argue that this does not produce a triggering efficiency above unity, nor does it prevent lots of prompt star formation in GMCs, though it may preserve massive remnants of the clouds for many dynamical times.