Statistical Confirmation of a Stellar Upper Mass Limit | Zendy

M. S. Oey | Zendy; C. J. Clarke | Zendy

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Statistical Confirmation of a Stellar Upper Mass Limit

Author(s) -

M. S. Oey,

C. J. Clarke

Publication year - 2005

Publication title -

the astrophysical journal

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 2.376

H-Index - 489

eISSN - 1538-4357

pISSN - 0004-637X

DOI - 10.1086/428396

Subject(s) - physics , initial mass function , milky way , cutoff , astrophysics , stars , stellar mass , limit (mathematics) , astronomy , star (game theory) , star formation , mathematical analysis , mathematics , quantum mechanics

We derive the expectation value for the maximum stellar mass (m_max) in anensemble of N stars, as a function of the IMF upper-mass cutoff (m_up) and N.We statistically demonstrate that the upper IMF of the local massive starcensus observed thus far in the Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds clearlyexhibits a universal upper mass cutoff around 120 - 200 M_sun for a SalpeterIMF, although the result is more ambiguous for a steeper IMF.Comment: PDF, 5 pages, 4 figures. Accepted to the Astrophysical Journal Letter

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