Fragmentation in Molecular Clouds: The Formation of a Stellar Cluster

dc.creatorKlessen, Ralf
dc.creatorBurkert, Andreas
dc.date1998-03-15
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T02:26:23Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T02:26:23Z
dc.descriptionThe isothermal gravitational collapse and fragmentation of a molecular cloud region and the subsequent formation of a protostellar cluster is investigated numerically. The clump mass spectrum which forms during the fragmentation phase can be well approximated by a power law distribution dN/dM ~ M^(-1.5). In contrast, the mass spectrum of protostellar cores that form in the centers of Jeans unstable clumps and evolve through accretion and N-body interaction is best described by a log-normal distribution. Assuming a star formation efficiency of ~10%, it is in excellent agreement with the IMF of multiple stellar systems.
dc.description5 pages including 2 figures, to appear in "Interstellar Turbulence", eds. P. Franco & A. Carraminana, Cambridge University Press (Fig.1 has been degraded in resolution to reduce size)
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9803171
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9803171
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/12250
dc.subjectAstrophysics
dc.titleFragmentation in Molecular Clouds: The Formation of a Stellar Cluster
dc.typetext

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