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Star formation in clusters: early sub-clustering in the Serpens core

L. Testi, A. I. Sargent, L. Olmi, J. S. Onello

astro-pharXiv:astro-ph/0005522

Abstract

We present high resolution interferometric and single dish observations of molecular gas in the Serpens cluster-forming core. Star formation does not appear to be homogeneous throughout the core, but is localised in spatially- and kinematically-separated sub-clusters. The stellar (or proto-stellar) density in each of the sub-clusters is much higher than the mean for the entire Serpens cluster. This is the first observational evidence for the hierarchical fragmentation of proto-cluster cores suggested by cluster formation models.

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