Statistical confirmation of a stellar upper mass limit

We derive the expectation value for the maximum stellar mass (m(max)) in an ensemble of N stars, as a function of the initial mass function ( IMF) upper mass cutoff (m(up)) and N. We statistically demonstrate that the upper m up IMF of the local massive star census observed thus far in the Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds clearly exhibits a universal upper mass cutoff around 120-200 M. for a Salpeter IMF, although the result is more ambiguous for a steeper IMF.