The IMF in Starbursts

TL;DR

This paper reviews the history and current understanding of the initial mass function (IMF) in starburst regions, suggesting it varies slightly with environment and is not generally top-heavy.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive review of IMF observations in starburst regions and discusses how environmental factors influence the IMF's shape and stellar mass distribution.

Findings

IMFs in starburst regions are not typically top-heavy.

Denser, more massive clusters tend to produce more massive stars.

IMF variations correlate with environmental density and cluster mass.

Abstract

The history of the IMF in starburst regions is reviewed. The IMFs are no longer believed to be top-heavy, although some superstar clusters, whether in starburst regions or not, could be. General observations of the IMF are discussed to put the starburst results in perspective. Observed IMF variations seem to suggest that the IMF varies a little with environment in the sense that denser and more massive clusters produce more massive stars, and perhaps more brown dwarfs too, compared to intermediate mass stars.