Stars are among the most fundamental structures of our Universe. They comprise most of the baryonic and luminous mass of galaxies; synthesize heavy elements; and inject mass, momentum, and energy into the interstellar medium. They are also home to the planets. Because stellar properties are primarily decided by their mass, the so-called stellar initial mass function (IMF) is critical to the structuring of our Universe. We review the various physical processes and theories that have been put forward as well as the numerical simulations that have been carried out to explain the origin of the stellar IMF. Key messages from this review include the following: ▪ Gravity and turbulence most likely determine the power-law, high-mass part of the IMF. ▪ Depending of the Mach number and the density distribution, several regimes are possible, including ΓIMF ≃ 0, −0.8, −1, or −1.3, where dN/d log M ∝ M ΓIMF . These regimes are likely universal; however, the transition between these regimes is not. ▪ Protostellar jets can play a regulating influence on the IMF by injecting momentum into collapsing clumps and unbinding gas. ▪ The peak of the IMF may be a consequence of dust opacity and molecular hydrogen physics at the origin of the first hydrostatic core. This depends weakly on large-scale environmental conditions such as radiation, magnetic field, turbulence, or metallicity. This likely constitutes one reason for the relative universality of the IMF.

中文翻译：

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恒星初始质量函数的物理起源

恒星是宇宙最基本的结构之一。它们构成了星系的大部分重子质量和发光质量。合成重元素；并将质量、动量和能量注入星际介质中。它们也是行星的家园。由于恒星的特性主要由其质量决定，因此所谓的恒星初始质量函数（IMF）对于我们宇宙的结构至关重要。我们回顾了已提出的各种物理过程和理论，以及为解释恒星 IMF 起源而进行的数值模拟。此次审查的主要信息包括： ▪重力和湍流很可能决定了 IMF 的幂律、高质量部分。 ▪根据马赫数和密度分布，可能有几种状态，包括 Γ国际货币基金组织≃ 0、-0.8、-1 或 -1.3，其中 d氮/d 日志中号∝中号 γ国际货币基金组织 。这些制度可能具有普遍性；然而，这些制度之间的过渡却并非如此。 ▪原恒星喷流可以通过向塌缩团块注入动量并释放气体来对 IMF 产生调节影响。 ▪IMF 的峰值可能是第一静压核心起源处的尘埃不透明度和分子氢物理的结果。这在很大程度上取决于大范围的环境条件，例如辐射、磁场、湍流或金属丰度。这可能构成国际货币基金组织相对普遍性的原因之一。