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The formation of brown dwarfs in discs: Physics, numerics, and observations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 April 2011

Dimitris Stamatellos
Affiliation:
School of Physics & Astronomy, Cardiff University, 5 The Parade, Cardiff, CF24 3AA, UK
Anthony Whitworth
Affiliation:
School of Physics & Astronomy, Cardiff University, 5 The Parade, Cardiff, CF24 3AA, UK
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Abstract

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A large fraction of brown dwarfs and low-mass stars may form by gravitational fragmentation of relatively massive (a few 0.1 M) and extended (a few hundred AU) discs around Sun-like stars. We present an ensemble of radiative hydrodynamic simulations that examine the conditions for disc fragmentation. We demonstrate that this model can explain the low-mass IMF, the brown dwarf desert, and the binary properties of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs. Observing discs that are undergoing fragmentation is possible but very improbable, as the process of disc fragmentation is short lived (discs fragment within a few thousand years).

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2011

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