期刊
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS
卷 723, 期 1, 页码 L7-L12出版社
IOP PUBLISHING LTD
DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/723/1/L7
关键词
ISM: clouds; methods: data analysis; stars: formation
资金
- NASA at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- NASA
- Direct For Mathematical & Physical Scien [0838258] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
- Division Of Astronomical Sciences [0838258] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
- Division Of Astronomical Sciences
- Direct For Mathematical & Physical Scien [0838260] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
- Division Of Astronomical Sciences
- Direct For Mathematical & Physical Scien [0838187, 0802363] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
We present a new assessment of the ability of Infrared Dark Clouds (IRDCs) to form massive stars and clusters. This is done by comparison with an empirical mass-size threshold for massive star formation (MSF). We establish m(r) > 870M(circle dot) (r/pc)(1.33) as a novel approximate MSF limit, based on clouds with and without MSF. Many IRDCs, if not most, fall short of this threshold. Without significant evolution, such clouds are unlikely MSF candidates. This provides a first quantitative assessment of the small number of IRDCs evolving toward MSF. IRDCs below this limit might still form stars and clusters of up to intermediate mass, though (like, e.g., the Ophiuchus and Perseus Molecular Clouds). Nevertheless, a major fraction of the mass contained in IRDCs might reside in few 10(2) clouds sustaining MSF.
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