Star Cluster Formation and Star Formation: The Role of Environment and Star Formation Efficiencies

TL;DR

This paper investigates how different galactic environments influence star formation processes, especially the formation of massive, long-lived star clusters, and examines whether their formation efficiency is universal or depends on specific galactic conditions.

Contribution

It explores the conditions and thresholds for forming massive star clusters, including globular clusters, across various galaxy types and starburst intensities.

Findings

Star cluster formation efficiency varies with galaxy properties.

Massive, long-lived clusters form under specific environmental conditions.

The proportion of star formation into clusters is not strictly universal.

Abstract

Analyzing global starburst properties in various kinds of starburst and post-starburst galaxies and relating them to the properties of the star cluster populations they form, I explore the conditions for the formation of massive, compact, long-lived star clusters. The aim is to find out whether the relative amount of star formation that goes into star cluster formation as opposed to field star formation, and into the formation of massive long-lived clusters in particular, is universal or scales with star formation rate, burst strength, star formation efficiency, galaxy or gas mass, and whether or not there are special conditions or some threshold for the formation of star clusters that merit to be called globular clusters a few gigayears later.