Abstract

view Abstract Citations (7566) References (10) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS The Luminosity Function and Stellar Evolution. Salpeter, Edwin E. Abstract The evolutionary significance of the observed luminosity function for main-sequence stars in the solar neighborhood is discussed. The hypothesis is made that stars move off the main sequence after burning about 10 per cent of their hydrogen mass and that stars have been created at a uniform rate in the solar neighborhood for the last five billion years. Using this hypothesis and the observed luminosity function, the rate of star creation as a function of stellar mass is calculated. The total number and mass of stars which have moved off the main sequence is found to be comparable with the total number of white dwarfs and with the total mass of all fainter main-sequence stars, respectively. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: January 1955 DOI: 10.1086/145971 Bibcode: 1955ApJ...121..161S full text sources ADS |

Keywords

PhysicsLuminosity functionMain sequenceLuminosityStarsAstrophysicsStellar massInitial mass functionStellar evolutionWhite dwarfAstronomySolar massFunction (biology)Star formationGalaxy

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Publication Info

Year
1955
Type
article
Volume
121
Pages
161-161
Citations
8139
Access
Closed

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E. E. Salpeter (1955). The Luminosity Function and Stellar Evolution.. The Astrophysical Journal , 121 , 161-161. https://doi.org/10.1086/145971

Identifiers

DOI
10.1086/145971