恒星的初始质量函数随金属度和时间而变化
Jiadong Li1,2,3, Chao Liu4,5,6, Zhi-Yu Zhang7,8
1Key Laboratory of Space Astronomy and Technology, National Astronomical Observatories, Beijing, China.
Nature
|January 18, 2023
概括
恒星初始质量函数 (IMF) 根据银河系的金属度和年龄而变化. 早期的恒星形成有较少的低质量恒星,而最近的恒星形成则显示更多的低质量恒星具有更高的金属性.
科学领域:
- 天文学
- 天体物理学
- 恒星进化
背景情况:
- 恒星初始质量函数 (IMF) 对于理解星系结构和演变至关重要.
- 之前IMF对银河系的测量受限于样本规模较小和不确定性较高.
- 关于国际货币基金组织是否在不同环境中是恒定的还是不同的,存在争议.
研究的目的:
- 调查银河系恒星群体中的IMF, 样本规模前所未有.
- 为了确定IMF是否随着金属性和恒星年龄而变化.
- 提供恒星形成模型和星系进化研究的基准.
主要方法:
- 对大约93,000颗光谱观察到的M矮星进行了恒星计数分析.
- 聚焦在太阳附近的100-300个星星.
- 将观测到的恒星群与规范的IMF进行比较.
主要成果:
- 找到了明确的证据表明IMF的变量取决于金属性和恒星年龄.
- 在早期恒星形成时代观察到较少的低质量恒星,不论金属度如何.
- 在最近的恒星形成中发现了较高金属度的低质量恒星的比例增加.
结论:
- 国际货币基金组织并不普遍,
- 这些发现需要对恒星形成和银河系化学丰富的模型进行修订.
- 变量IMF影响银河系质量估计和行星形成效率计算.
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