SUBMILLIMETER CONTINUUM OBSERVATIONS OF PRE-PROTOSTELLAR CORES

Results are outlined of a JCMT submillimetre continuum survey of Myers cores that have no known infrared associations - the so-called 'starl ess cores'. Detailed parameters are calculated, such as temperature, m ass, luminosity and radial density dependence. On the basis of lifetim e and luminosity arguments, the cores are found to be pre-protostellar in nature, undergoing the ambipolar diffusion phase prior to protoste llar collapse. The cores do not follow the r(-2) density dependence pr edicted by the standard model, but are consistent with a recent model of magnetic support of cloud cores.