Paper:	The Stellar Initial Mass Function
Volume:	323, Star Formation in the Interstellar Medium: In Honor of David Hollenbach, Chris McKee, and Frank Shu
Page:	37
Authors:	Shu, F.H.; Li, Z.-Y.; Allen, A.
Abstract:	If magnetic fields are frozen in gravitational collapse, the resulting magnetic tension can prevent the outer part of the subcritical envelope of a molecular cloud from falling in with the supercritical core. However, the implied surface magnetic fields much exceed measured values for young stars. Moreover, it is virtually impossible for Keplerian disks to form in these circumstances. Magnetic reconnection can eliminate the long lever arms of the split monopole formed by the gravitational collapse that contibutes to catastrophic magnetic braking. The natural appearance then of a Keplerian disk adjoining a rotating star with an outer convective envelope will lead to an X-wind driven magnetocentrifugally from the inner edge of the disk. This wind can cut off the continued infall from the envelope and build-up of the central stellar mass. We use these ideas and results to calculate the initial mass function and star formation efficiency for the distributed and clustered modes of star formation.

Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Conference Series

© Copyright 1988 - 2024 - Astronomical Society of the Pacific
No part of the material protected by this copyright may be reproduced or used in any form other than for personal use without written permission from the ASP.

Page generated in 0.064 seconds