Observations of the IMF in Clusters

Author(s)

Joana Ascenso, João Alves

Abstract

The Initial Mass Function (IMF) is a seemingly a universal outcome of

the star formation process. Over the last five decades it has been

measured in young clusters and associations, in old globulars and in the

field, in the Milky Way and in neighboring galaxies, covering regions

spanning a wide range of physical conditions. The result is always

similar: a Salpeter-like mass distribution for the higher masses and a

subsequent flattening for lower masses. As we analyse more distant and

dense clusters, however, our ability to measure the IMF properly becomes

severely hampered by crowding.

Organisation(s)

Department of Astrophysics

External organisation(s)

Universidade do Porto

Pages

231-234

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-22113-2_40

Publication date

2012

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

103004 Astrophysics, 103003 Astronomy

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