scholarly journals The physics and modes of star cluster formation: observations

2010 ◽  
Vol 368 (1913) ◽  
pp. 713-731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles J. Lada
Keyword(s):  
Present State ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Cluster Formation ◽  
Star Cluster ◽  
Stellar Clusters ◽  
Empirical Knowledge ◽  
Physical Processes ◽  
Subsequent Evolution ◽  
Cluster Systems ◽  
Infrared Wavelengths

Stellar clusters are born in cold and dusty molecular clouds and the youngest clusters are embedded to various degrees in a dusty dark molecular material. Such embedded clusters can be considered protocluster systems. The most deeply buried examples are so heavily obscured by dust that they are only visible at infrared wavelengths. These embedded protoclusters constitute the nearest laboratories for a direct astronomical investigation of the physical processes of cluster formation and early evolution. I review the present state of empirical knowledge concerning embedded-cluster systems and discuss the implications for understanding their formation and subsequent evolution to produce bound stellar clusters.

scholarly journals A 12CO Survey of the LMC with NANTEN

1999 ◽  
Vol 190 ◽  
pp. 61-66
Author(s):  
Y. Fukui ◽  
R. Abe ◽  
A. Hara ◽  
T. Hayakawa ◽  
S. Kato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Cluster Formation ◽  
Hii Regions ◽  
Stellar Clusters ◽  
Giant Molecular Clouds

We have made a 12CO(J = 1−0) survey of the LMC with NANTEN. A sample of 55 giant molecular clouds has been identified and comparisons with stellar clusters, HII regions and SNRs are presented. The connection between the clouds and cluster formation is discussed.

Simulating star-forming regions in spiral galaxies with AMUSE

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (S351) ◽  
pp. 216-219
Author(s):  
Steven Rieder ◽  
Clare Dobbs ◽  
Thomas Bending
Keyword(s):  
Gas Dynamics ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Spiral Galaxies ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Cluster Formation ◽  
Star Cluster ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
Formation And Evolution ◽  
Spiral Arm

AbstractWe present a model for hydrodynamic + N-body simulations of star cluster formation and evolution using AMUSE. Our model includes gas dynamics, star formation in regions of dense gas, stellar evolution and a galactic tidal spiral potential, thus incorporating most of the processes that play a role in the evolution of star clusters.We test our model on initial conditions of two colliding molecular clouds as well as a section of a spiral arm from a previous galaxy simulation.

scholarly journals Star cluster dynamics

2010 ◽  
Vol 368 (1913) ◽  
pp. 829-849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrico Vesperini
Keyword(s):  
Globular Clusters ◽  
Cluster Formation ◽  
Cluster Structure ◽  
Dynamical Evolution ◽  
Star Cluster ◽  
Stellar Content ◽  
Cluster Systems ◽  
Detailed Understanding ◽  
Term Evolution

Dynamical evolution plays a key role in shaping the current properties of star clusters and star cluster systems. A detailed understanding of the effects of evolutionary processes is essential to be able to disentangle the properties that result from dynamical evolution from those imprinted at the time of cluster formation. In this review, I focus my attention on globular clusters, and review the main physical ingredients driving their early and long-term evolution, describe the possible evolutionary routes and show how cluster structure and stellar content are affected by dynamical evolution.

scholarly journals Formation of the super star cluster RCW 38 triggered by cloud-cloud collision

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (S316) ◽  
pp. 208-213
Author(s):  
Yasuo Fukui
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Column Density ◽  
Cluster Formation ◽  
Star Cluster ◽  
Cluster Center ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Velocity Difference ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Massive Cluster ◽  
High Column

AbstractRCW 38 is the youngest super star cluster in the Galaxy and is located at a distance of 1.7 kpc. Molecular observations revealed that the cluster is associated with two molecular clouds having velocity difference of 12 km s−1. We interpret that the two clouds are colliding with each other and the collision triggered the cluster formation. The natal molecular gas still survives within ~ 0.5 pc of the central O stars which have an age of 0.1 Myrs as inferred from the collision morphology. We suggest that the high column density of one of the clouds 1023 cm−2 enabled formation of ~ 20 O stars in the cluster center and discuss the implications on massive cluster formation.

scholarly journals Formation of Twin Clusters in a Galactic Tidal Field

2002 ◽  
Vol 207 ◽  
pp. 681-683
Author(s):  
Christian Theis
Keyword(s):  
Globular Clusters ◽  
Unsolved Problem ◽  
Cluster Formation ◽  
Equal Mass ◽  
Star Cluster ◽  
Stellar Clusters ◽  
Galactocentric Distance ◽  
Galactic Potential ◽  
Self Gravity ◽  
Single Cluster

The formation of globular clusters is still an unsolved problem. Though most scenarios assume a massive molecular cloud as the progenitor, it is unclear how the cloud is transformed into a star cluster. Here a scheme of supernova (SN) induced cluster formation is investigated. In this scenario the expanding SN shell accumulates the mass of the cloud. This is accompanied by fragmentation resulting in star formation in the shell. If this stellar shell expands sufficiently slowly, its self-gravity leads to a recollapsing shell, thus forming one or several stellar clusters.In this paper N-body simulations of collapsing shells moving on circular orbits in a galactic potential are presented. It is shown that typical shells (105 M⊙, 30 pc) evolve to twin clusters in the galactocentric distance range between 3 and 11 kpc. Their masses show a strong radial trend: on orbits inside 5 kpc both clusters have almost equal mass. Outside 5 kpc the more massive twin cluster contains about 55% of the shell's mass, whereas the mass of the smaller decreases linearily to 15% at 11 kpc. Outside 11 kpc the collapsing shells end up in a single cluster. Inside 3 kpc the shells are tidally disrupted and only fragments substantially less massive than the initial shell survive.

scholarly journals Formation and Disruption of Globular Star Clusters

2002 ◽  
Vol 207 ◽  
pp. 566-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Michael Fall ◽  
Qing Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Globular Clusters ◽  
Star Clusters ◽  
Mass Function ◽  
Star Cluster ◽  
Weak Dependence ◽  
Host Galaxies ◽  
Physical Processes ◽  
Cluster Systems ◽  
Luminosity Functions ◽  
Characteristic Mass

In the first part of this article, we review observations of the mass and luminosity functions of young and old star cluster systems. We also review some of the physical processes that may determine the characteristic mass of globular clusters and the form of their mass function. In the second part of this article, we summarize our models for the disruption of clusters and the corresponding evolution of the mass function. Much of our focus here is on understanding why the mass function of globular clusters has no more than a weak dependence on radius within their host galaxies.

scholarly journals Early dynamical evolution of star cluster systems

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (S266) ◽  
pp. 87-94
Author(s):  
Geneviève Parmentier
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Galaxy Evolution ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Cluster Formation ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Dynamical Evolution ◽  
Mass Function ◽  
Star Cluster ◽  
Dynamical Response ◽  
Cluster Systems

AbstractViolent relaxation, the protocluster dynamical response to the expulsion of its residual star-forming gas, is a short albeit crucial episode in the evolution of star clusters and star cluster systems. Because it is heavily driven by cluster-formation and environmental conditions, it is a potentially highly rewarding phase in terms of probing star formation and galaxy evolution. In this contribution, I review how cluster-formation and environmental conditions affect the shape of the young cluster mass function and the relation between the present star-formation rate of galaxies and the mass of their young, most massive cluster.

scholarly journals Simulations of Massive Star Cluster Formation and Feedback in Turbulent Giant Molecular Clouds

2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (S270) ◽  
pp. 235-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Harper-Clark ◽  
Norman Murray
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Massive Star ◽  
Cluster Formation ◽  
Star Clusters ◽  
Star Cluster ◽  
Giant Molecular Clouds

AbstractUsing the AMR code ENZO we are simulating the formation of massive star clusters within turbulent Giant Molecular Clouds (GMCs). Here we discuss the simulations from the first stages of building realistic turbulent GMCs, to accurate star formation, and ultimately comprehensive feedback. These simulations aim to build a better understanding of how stars affect GMCs, helping to answer the questions of how long GMCs live and why only a small fraction of the GMC gas becomes stars.

scholarly journals Giant molecular clouds and star formation in the Large Magellanic Cloud

2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (S237) ◽  
pp. 101-105
Author(s):  
A. Kawamura ◽  
T. Minamidani ◽  
Y. Mizuno ◽  
T. Onishi ◽  
N. Mizuno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Cluster Formation ◽  
Large Magellanic Cloud ◽  
Magellanic Cloud ◽  
Stellar Clusters ◽  
Giant Molecular Clouds ◽  
Surface Mass ◽  
Complete Survey ◽  
Physical Quantities

AbstractIn order to elucidate star formation in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a complete survey of the molecular clouds was carried out by NANTEN. In this work, we compare 230 giant molecular clouds (GMCs), whose physical quantities are well determined, with young clusters and Hii regions. We find that about 76% of the GMCs are actively forming stars or clusters, while 24% show no signs of massive star or cluster formation. Effects of supergiant shells (SGSs) on the formation of GMCs and stars are also studied. The number and surface mass densities of the GMCs are higher by a factor of 1.5–2 at the edge of the SGSs than elsewhere. It is also found that young stellar clusters are more actively formed in the GMCs facing to the center of the SGSs. These results are consistent with the previous studies by Yamaguchi et al. and suggest the formation of GMCs and the cluster is triggered by dynamical effects of the SGSs.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document