Premium
The lower mass function of young open clusters: clues to (sub)stellar formation
Author(s) -
Moraux E.,
Bouvier J.,
Clarke C.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
astronomische nachrichten
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.394
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1521-3994
pISSN - 0004-6337
DOI - 10.1002/asna.200510464
Subject(s) - metallicity , physics , open cluster , astrophysics , star cluster , cluster (spacecraft) , initial mass function , stellar mass , mass segregation , star formation , brown dwarf , astronomy , stars , computer science , programming language
We report the present day mass functions (PDMFs) of 4 young open clusters over a mass range from 30 Jupiter masses to 3M _ . Three of these clusters have been chosen to have a similar age of ∼100 Myr. Their PDMFs are remarkably similar and are comparable to the field mass function. This suggests little impact of initial conditions (stellar density, metallicity) on the mass distribution and raises some issues concerning the currently debated star and brown dwarf formation theories. The fourth cluster is older (600 Myr) which allow us to investigate the effect of the cluster dynamical evolution on the shape of the mass function. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)