articleJan 1, 2003Closed access

Galactic Stellar and Substellar Initial Mass Function

CGChabrier, G

Abstract

We review recent determinations of the present day and initial mass functions in various components of the Galaxy, disk, spheroid, young and globular clusters. As a general feature, the IMF is well described by a power-law form for $m\\ga 1 \\msol$ and a lognormal form below. The extension of the disk IMF into the brown dwarf (BD) regime is in good agreement with observations and yields a disk BD number-density comparable to the stellar one $\\sim 0.1 \\pc3$. The IMF of young clusters is found to be consistent with the disk field IMF, providing the same correction for unresolved binaries. The spheroid IMF relies on much less robust grounds. Within all the uncertainties, it is found to be similar to the one…

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Authors

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  • CG
    Chabrier, GCorresponding

Topics & keywords

Keywords
  • Astrophysics
  • Physics
  • Brown dwarf
  • Globular cluster
  • Initial mass function
  • Star formation
  • Metallicity
  • Stars
UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Decent work and economic growth
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