Massive star cluster formation I. High star formation efficiency while resolving feedback of individual stars

TL;DR

This paper models massive star cluster formation using advanced simulations, revealing high star formation efficiencies in dense, massive gas clouds, especially relevant for starburst and high-redshift galaxies.

Contribution

The study introduces an upgraded Torch framework capable of simulating the formation of massive clusters with over 10^5 stars, highlighting the role of cloud density and mass in star formation efficiency.

Findings

Star formation efficiency increases with cloud mass and surface density.

Efficiencies of up to 85% are achieved in the most massive clouds.

High-density, massive clouds form stars rapidly, limiting feedback effects.

Abstract

The mode of star formation that results in the formation of globular clusters and young massive clusters is difficult to constrain through observations. We present models of massive star cluster formation using the Torch framework, which uses AMUSE to couple distinct multi-physics codes that handle star formation, stellar evolution and dynamics, radiative transfer, and magnetohydrodynamics. We upgrade Torch by implementing the N-body code PeTar, thereby enabling Torch to handle massive clusters forming from $10^6\rm\, M_\odot$ clouds with $\ge10^5$ individual stars. We present results from Torch simulations of star clusters forming from $10^4, 10^5$, and $10^6\rm M_\odot$ turbulent, spherical gas clouds (named M4, M5, M6) of radius $R=11.7$ pc. We find that star formation is highly efficient and becomes more so at higher cloud mass and surface density. For M4, M5, and M6 with initial surface densities $2.325\times 10^{1,2,3}\rm\, M_\odot\, pc^{-2}$, after a free-fall time of $t_{ff}=6.7,2.1,0.67$ Myr, we find that $\sim$30%, 40%, and 60% of the cloud mass has formed into stars, respectively. The final integrated star formation efficiency is 32%, 65%, and 85% for M4, M5, and M6. Observations of nearby clusters similar to M4 have similar integrated star formation efficiencies of $\leq$30%. The M5 and M6 models represent a different regime of cluster formation that is more appropriate for the conditions in starburst galaxies and gas-rich galaxies at high redshift, and that leads to a significantly higher efficiency of star formation. We argue that young massive clusters build up through short efficient bursts of star formation in regions that are sufficiently dense ($\ge 10^2 \rm\,M_\odot\,pc^{-2}$) and massive ($\ge10^5\rm\, M_\odot$). In such environments, the dynamical time of the cloud becomes short enough that stellar feedback cannot act quickly enough to slow star formation.