What phenomenon explains the rapid loss of stellar members shortly after an open cluster forms due to gas expulsion?
Answer
Infant mortality
Infant mortality describes the immediate consequence of the violent birth process in open clusters. After the initial star formation, massive OB stars emit intense ultraviolet radiation and stellar winds that rapidly push away the remaining natal gas and dust from the parent molecular cloud. Since only a small fraction of the initial cloud mass forms stars (often 1–10%), the expulsion of this remaining gas leaves the newly formed stellar group gravitationally unbound or very loosely bound. This energetic removal process can cause the cluster to lose a significant fraction, estimated potentially up to two-thirds, of its initial stellar population almost immediately, with these stars becoming unbound field stars.
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