Indicators for cluster survivability in a dispersing cloud

TL;DR

This study uses N-body simulations to identify key indicators like initial mass ratio and kinetic energy that predict the survivability of star clusters amid molecular cloud dispersal.

Contribution

It introduces new indicators beyond star formation efficiency, specifically the initial cluster-cloud mass ratio and initial kinetic energy, for predicting cluster survivability.

Findings

Initial cluster-cloud mass ratio correlates with cluster survival.

Initial kinetic energy influences the final cluster structure.

Star formation efficiency alone is insufficient as a predictor.

Abstract

We use N-body simulations to survey the response of embedded star clusters to the dispersal of their parent molecular cloud. The final stages of the clusters can be divided into three classes: the cluster (i) is destroyed, (ii) has a loose structure, and (iii) has a compact core. We are interested in three of the governing parameters of the parent cloud: (i) the mass, (ii) the size, and (iii) the dispersing rate. It is known that the final stage of the cluster is well correlated with the star formation efficiency (SFE) for systems with the same cluster and cloud profile. We deem that the SFE alone is not enough to address systems with clouds of different sizes. Our result shows that the initial cluster-cloud mass ratio at a certain Lagrangian radius, and the initial kinetic energy are better indicators for the survivability of embedded clusters.