The puzzle of the cluster-forming core mass-radius relation and why it matters

Abstract

We highlight how the mass-radius relation of cluster-forming cores combined with an external tidal field can influence infant weight-loss and disruption likelihood of clusters after gas expulsion. Specifically, we study how the relation between the bound fraction of stars staying in clusters at the end of violent relaxation and the cluster-forming core mass is affected by the slope and normalization of the core mass-radius relation. Assuming mass-independent star formation efficiency and gas-expulsion time-scale $\tau_{GExp}/\tau_{cross}$ and a given external tidal field, it is found that constant surface density cores and constant radius cores have the potential to lead to the preferential removal of high- and low-mass clusters, respectively. In contrast, constant volume density cores result in mass-independent cluster infant weight-loss, as suggested by observations. Our modelling includes predictions about the evolution of high-mass cluster-forming cores, a regime not yet covered by the observations. An overview of various issues directly affected by the nature of the core mass-radius relation is presented (e.g. cluster mass function, galaxy star formation histories, globular cluster self-enrichment). Finally, we emphasize that observational mass-radius data-sets of dense gas regions must be handled with caution as they may be the imprint of the molecular tracer used to map them, rather than reflecting cluster formation conditions. [Abridged]Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, accepted to MNRA