vice.imf.salpeter

The (unnormalized) Salpeter (1955) [1] stellar initial mass function (IMF).

Signature: vice.imf.salpeter(mass)

New in version 1.1.0.

Parameters

massreal number

The stellar mass in solar masses.

Returns

dndmreal number

The unnormalized value of the Salpeter IMF at that stellar mass, defined by:

\[\frac{dN}{dm} \propto m^{-\alpha}\]

where \(\alpha\) = 2.35 always.

Raises

  • TypeError
    • mass is not a real number

  • ValueError
    • mass is non-positive

Example Code

>>> vice.imf.salpeter(1)
        1.0
>>> vice.imf.salpeter(0.5)
        5.098242509277049
>>> vice.imf.salpeter(2)
        0.19614602447418766