A THEORY FOR THE INITIAL MASS FUNCTION

Authors
SILK J
Citation
J. Silk, A THEORY FOR THE INITIAL MASS FUNCTION, The Astrophysical journal, 438(1), 1995, pp. 41-44
Citations number
44
Categorie Soggetti
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Journal title
The Astrophysical journal → ACNP
ISSN journal
0004637X
Volume
438
Issue
1
Year of publication
1995
Part
2
Pages
41 - 44
Database
ISI
SICI code
0004-637X(1995)438:1<41:ATFTIM>2.0.ZU;2-S
Abstract
Theoretical arguments are presented for the origin of the stellar init ial mass function and for the characteristic mass of a protostar, in t erms of the distribution of suprathermal linewidths in molecular cloud s. The line widths are generated by protostellar outflows, which are a lso responsible for limiting the mass that is accreted by a forming st ar.