Solutions of the coagulation equation with time-dependent coagulation rates. [For stellar formation mass functions]
In attempting to reproduce the initial stellar mass function, the authors solved analytically the coagulation equation with an explicit time dependence in the coagulation rate in order to simulate the gravitational collapse of the fragments upon themselves as they move within the progenitor cloud. Two separate cases have been studied, with and without a mass dependence in the coagulation rate. The solutions show that: (1) inclusion of self-gravitation can change the results to the point of preventing coalescence to work altogether, depending on the values of the two free parameters; (2) the precise form of the mass dependence of the coagulation rate is not of prime importance in most situations of astrophysical interest; (3) coagulation alone is not sufficient to yield a realistic mass spectrum, and fragmentation must also be taken into account. 30 references.
- Research Organization:
- Observatoire du Mont Megantic, Montreal, Canada
- OSTI ID:
- 6640868
- Journal Information:
- Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 309
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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