Plausible Dynamical Origins of Larson (1982)’s Empirical Law

Abstract

We revisit Larson (1982)’s empirical law relating the maximum stellar mass and the mass of the natal Molecular Cloud (MC). The aim of this journey back in-time is to seek a fundamental origin of this law. Some researchers would want to believe that this law is a result of statistical sampling. By considering the dynamics ensuring between the gravitational force of the natal MC and the radiation field of nascent massive star – with regard to this empirical law of Larson (1982), we find an excellent agreement between theory and observations from 11 of Larson (1982)’s sample of stars in the mass range [10.00M⊙ .Mmax . 50.00M⊙]. This excellent agreement strongly points to a dynamical origin of this empirical law. That is to say, this empirical law may very well be a result of the ensuring contest between the inward gravitational force of the nascent together with the circumstellar material and the radiation force field emanating from the most massive star resident in a given MC. The observed scatter in this empirical law may have its origins in – perhaps – different values of opacity for these MCs. Apart from opacity, it may also be a result of turbulence induced forces, magnetic forces and/or thermal forces obtaining in these MC systems.