{
  "abstract": "Turbulence regulates star formation by influencing the density structure and fragmentation of molecular clouds, and therefore it is expected to play a key role in setting the initial mass function (IMF). We study how the strength of the turbulent shocks affects star formation and the IMF by comparing a series of magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) simulations of star cluster formation in clouds with three different rms Mach number values, $M=2.5, 5$, and $10$, but otherwise the same Alfvén Mach number ($M_\\mathrm{A}\\sim3$) and virial parameter ($α_\\mathrm{vir}\\sim0.5$). All three simulations include stellar feedback in the form of protostellar jets/outflows and accretion heating. We find that the star formation rate per freefall time ($\\mathrm{SFR_{ff}}$) for the $M=10$ model is higher by a factor of $\\sim3$ compared to the $M=2.5$ and $5$ cases, which have similar $\\mathrm{SFR_{ff}}$. In terms of the IMF, the $M=5$ and $10$ models produce almost similar distributions, resembling typical observed IMFs. The $M=2.5$ model, on the other hand, produces a bimodal IMF with a primary peak at supersolar masses ($\\sim 2\\, \\mathrm{M_\\odot}$) and a secondary peak in the substellar regime ($< 0.1\\, \\mathrm{M_\\odot}$). The $M=2.5$ and $5$ simulations producing significantly different IMFs while having similar $\\mathrm{SFR_{ff}}$, suggest that a distinct set of physical processes governs the SFR and IMF. Through a resolution study for the $M=2.5$ case, we find our base models have reached near numerical convergence, potentially only slightly underestimating close-binary formation. We also see signatures of bimodality in the $M=2.5$ model for the multiplicity fraction and stellar angular momentum distribution.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2609.38937",
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Sajay Sunny Mathew"
    },
    {
      "name": "Christoph Federrath"
    },
    {
      "name": "Amit Seta"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e4a24jjfgs428.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2609.38937",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "e4a24jjfgs428",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.38937",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "astro-ph.GA"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2609.38937",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-30",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e4a24jjfgs428.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:25:49Z",
      "native_id": "2609.38937",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.38937"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "astronomy",
      "origin": "arxiv:astro-ph.GA",
      "subfield": "galaxies"
    }
  ],
  "title": "The impact of the turbulent Mach number on star formation and the initial mass function",
  "title_text": "The impact of the turbulent Mach number on star formation and the initial mass function",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:25:49Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e4a24jjfgs428",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}