Does turbulence determine the initial mass function?
Liptai, D; Price, DJ; Wurster, J; et al.Bate, MR
Date: 28 October 2016
Journal
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Publisher DOI
Abstract
We test the hypothesis that the initial mass function (IMF) is determined by the density
probability distribution function (PDF) produced by supersonic turbulence. We compare 14
simulations of star cluster formation in 50 M molecular cloud cores where the initial turbulence
contains either purely solenoidal or purely compressive ...
We test the hypothesis that the initial mass function (IMF) is determined by the density
probability distribution function (PDF) produced by supersonic turbulence. We compare 14
simulations of star cluster formation in 50 M molecular cloud cores where the initial turbulence
contains either purely solenoidal or purely compressive modes, in each case resolving
fragmentation to the opacity limit to determine the resultant IMF. We find statistically indistinguishable
IMFs between the two sets of calculations, despite a factor of 2 difference in the
star formation rate and in the standard deviation of log (ρ). This suggests that the density PDF,
while determining the star formation rate, is not the primary driver of the IMF.
Physics and Astronomy
Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy
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