What the Spatial Distribution of Stars tells us about Star Formation and Massive Cluster Formation

Computer Science – Sound

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Scientific paper

We present a dissertation study on two recent results regarding the clustering properties of young stars. First, we discuss a global study of young stellar object (YSO) surface densities in star forming regions based on a comprehensive collection of Spitzer Space Telescope surveys, which encompasses nearly all star formation in the solar neighbourhood. It is shown that the distribution of YSO surface densities is a smooth distribution, being adequately described by a lognormal function from a few to 103 YSOs pc-2, with a peak at 22 YSOs pc-2 and a dispersion of 0.85. We find no evidence for multiple discrete modes of star-formation (e.g. clustered and distributed) and that not all stars form in clusters. A Herschel Space Observatory study confirms the YSO surface density results by observing and analyzing the prestellar core population in several star forming regions.
Secondly, we propose that bound stellar clusters primarily form from dense clouds having escape speeds greater than the sound speed in photo-ionized gas. A list of giant molecular clumps with masses >103 M&sun; that have escape speeds greater than the sound speed in photo-ionized plasma is compiled from the Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey. In these clumps, radiative feedback in the form of gas ionization is bottled up, enabling star formation to proceed to sufficiently high efficiency so that the resulting star cluster remains bound even after gas removal. We present over ten candidates that will most likely form >103 M&sun; star clusters and two of them that are comparable to NGC 3603 (>104 M&sun;). Thus, providing us with an outlook on the next generation of star clusters in the Milky Way and clues to the initial conditions of massive cluster formation.

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