2006/04/21 by N. Bastian, S. P. Goodwin · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Cluster (spacecraft) #Initial mass function #Open cluster #Physics #Star (game theory) #Star cluster #Star formation #Stars #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/s1743921308015226
published in Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 3(S246), 32-35 (Cambridge University Press) · 4 pages, contribution to "Globular Clusters: Guides to Galaxies", March 6th-10th, 2006
arxiv created 2006/04/21 · openalex publication_date 2007/09/01 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Abstract Through the use of detailed light profiles and dynamical measurements of young clusters we investigate claims that the stellar initial mass function within clusters varies greatly. We find a strong age dependence in the clusters which have been claimed to have non-standard stellar IMFs, and suggest that the lack of equilibrium of these clusters is responsible for their ‘strange’ light-to-mass ratios and not IMF variations. The most likely culprit is the rapid removal of residual gas left over from the star-formation process which leaves the clusters severely out of dynamical equilibrium. By comparing the observations to N-body simulations we quantify to what degree a cluster is out of equilibrium and consequently its survival chances. We find that >60% of young clusters will be disrupted, due gas removal, within the first 20–50 Myr of their lives.