| The stellar initial mass function in the galactic center (2004) | |||||||||||||
Abstract | |||||||||||||
| "IMF@50: The Initial Mass Function 50 years later", proceedings of an international conference. Held in Abbazia di Spineto, Via Molino di Spineto 8, 53047 Sarteano, Siena, Italy: 16-20 May 2004.. Archived in: arXiv:astro-ph/0409415 v1 16 Sep 2004 AND Space Telescope Science Institute [STScI] Eprint #1629 (2004). Massive stars define the upper limits of the star formation process, dominate the energetics of their local environs, and significantly affect the chemical evolution of galaxies. Their role in starburst galaxies and the early Universe is likely to be important, but we still do not know the maximum mass that a star can possess, i.e.“the upper mass cutoff.” I will discuss results from a program to measure the upper mass cutoff and IMF slope in the Galactic Center. The results suggest that the IMF in the Galactic center may deviate significantly from the Salpeter value, and that there may be an upper mass cutoff to the initial mass function of 150 Msun. (Refer to PDF file for exact formulas). | |||||||||||||
Publication details | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||