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Unpublished Paper
The Dependence of Protostellar Lumosity on Environment in the Cygnus-X Star-Forming Complex
The Astronomical Journal (2014)
  • E. Kryukova
  • S.T. Megeath
  • J.L. Hora
  • R. A Gutermuth, University of Massachusetts - Amherst
  • S. Bontemps
  • K. Kraemer
  • M. Hennemann
  • N. Schneider
  • Howard. A. Smith
  • F. Motte
Abstract

The Cygnus-X star-forming complex is one of the most active regions of low- and high-mass star formation within 2 kpc of the Sun. Using mid-infrared photometry from the IRAC and MIPS Spitzer Cygnus-X Legacy Survey, we have identified over 1800 protostar candidates. We compare the protostellar luminosity functions of two regions within Cygnus-X: CygX-South and CygX-North. These two clouds show distinctly different morphologies suggestive of dissimilar star-forming environments. We find the luminosity functions of these two regions are statistically different. Furthermore, we compare the luminosity functions of protostars found in regions of high and low stellar density within Cygnus-X and find that the luminosity function in regions of high stellar density is biased to higher luminosities. In total, these observations provide further evidence that the luminosities of protostars depend on their natal environment. We discuss the implications this dependence has for the star formation process.

Keywords
  • infrared: stars,
  • stars: protostars,
  • stars: formation,
  • stars: luminosity function
Publication Date
2014
Comments
Prepublished version downloaded from ArXiv. Published version is located at http://iopscience.iop.org/1538-3881/148/1/11
Citation Information
E. Kryukova, S.T. Megeath, J.L. Hora, R. A Gutermuth, et al.. "The Dependence of Protostellar Lumosity on Environment in the Cygnus-X Star-Forming Complex" The Astronomical Journal (2014)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/r_gutermuth/22/