The formation of stars by gravitational collapse rather than competitive accretion

Mark R. Krumholz (), Christopher F. McKee and Richard I. Klein
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Mark R. Krumholz: Princeton University
Christopher F. McKee: Physics Department
Richard I. Klein: UC Berkeley

Nature, 2005, vol. 438, issue 7066, 332-334

Abstract: Boost for collapsing theory Star formation is central to many phenomena in astrophysics, from galactic evolution to the formation of planets. So a lot depends on the fate of the two competing theories that seek to explain it. In the gravitational collapse theory, giant molecular clumps, with masses hundreds of thousands of times greater than that of the Sun, break up into gaseous fragments that then collapse to form stars. The competitive accretion theory involves the creation of small stars, about half the mass of the Sun, that then grow by accumulating unbound gas. A new numerical simulation comes down firmly in favour of gravitational collapse as the dominant mechanism, on the grounds that in real star forming clouds, the initial mass of a star is all the mass that it will ever have; the conditions are simply not conducive to it collecting any more.

Date: 2005
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DOI: 10.1038/nature04280

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