The initial core mass function due to ambipolar diffusion in molecular clouds

2009/08/02 by Matthew W. Kunz, Telemachos Ch. Mouschovias · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Chemical Physics Studies #Ambipolar diffusion #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Biology #Computational physics #Computer science #Core (optical fiber) #Diffusion #Fragmentation (computing) #Function (biology) #Initial mass function #Molecular cloud #Nuclear physics #Optics #Physics #Plasma #Star formation #Stars #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #Thermodynamics #astro-ph.SR

paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/j.1745-3933.2009.00731.x

5 pages, 4 figures, accepted by MNRAS-L

arxiv created 2009/08/02 · openalex publication_date 2009/09/09 · arxiv updated 2015/05/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

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.

Citations

• Observational Constraints on the Ages of Molecular Clouds and the Star Formation Timescale: Ambipolar‐Diffusion–controlled or Turbulence‐induced Star Formation?
• Magnetically Regulated Star Formation in Three Dimensions: The Case of the Taurus Molecular Cloud Complex
• Formation and Collapse of Nonaxisymmetric Protostellar Cores in Planar Magnetic Interstellar Clouds: Formulation of the Problem and Linear Analysis
• Theory of Star Formation
• The initial conditions of star formation - VIII. An observational study of the Ophiuchus cloud L1688 and implications for the pre-stellar core mass function

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