Virial Equilibrium Research Articles

RELATIVE PROPER MOTIONS IN THE RHO OPHIUCHI CLUSTER

Abstract : Near-infrared images optimized for astrometry have been obtained for four fields in the high-density L 1688 cloud core over a 12 year period. The targeted regions include deeply embedded young stellar objects (YSOs) and very low luminosity objects too faint and/or heavily veiled for spectroscopy. Relative proper motions in R.A. and decl. were computed for 111 sources and again for a subset of 65 YSOs, resulting in a mean proper motion of (0,0) for each field. Assuming each field has the same mean proper motion, YSOs in the four fields were combined to yield estimates of the velocity dispersions in R.A. and decl. that are consistent with 1.0 km s1. These values appear to be independent of the evolutionary state of the YSOs. The observed velocity dispersions are consistent with the dispersion in radial velocity derived for optically visible YSOs at the periphery of the cloud core and are consistent with virial equilibrium. The higher velocity dispersion of the YSOs in the plane of the sky relative to that of dense cores may be a consequence of stellar encounters due to dense cores and filaments fragmenting to form small groups of stars or the global collapse of the L 1688 cloud core. An analysis of the differential magnitudes of objects over the 12 year baseline has not only confirmed the near-infrared variability for 29 YSOs established by prior studies, but has also identified 18 new variability candidates. Four of these have not been previously identified as YSOs and may be newly identified cluster members.

Non-virialized clusters for detection of dark energy–dark matter interaction

The observation of galaxy and gas distributions, as well as cosmological simulations in a $\Lambda$CDM Universe, suggests that clusters of galaxies are still accreting mass and are not expected to be in equilibrium. In this work, we investigate the possibility to evaluate the departure from virial equilibrium in order to detect, in that balance, effects from a Dark Matter--Dark Energy interaction. We continue, from previous works, using a simple model of interacting dark sector, the Layzer--Irvine equation for dynamical virial evolution, and employ optical observations in order to obtain the mass profiles through weak lensing and X-ray observations giving the intracluster gas temperatures. Through a Monte Carlo method, we generate, for a set of clusters, measurements of observed virial ratios, interaction strength, rest virial ratio and departure from equilibrium factors. We found a compounded interaction strength of $-1.99^{+2.56}_{-16.00}$, compatible with no interaction, but also a compounded rest virial ratio of $-0.79 \pm 0.13$, which would entail a $2\sigma$ detection. We confirm quantitatively that clusters of galaxies are out of equilibrium but further investigation is needed to constrain a possible interaction in the dark sector.

ANGULAR MOMENTUM–MASS RELATION FOR DARK MATTER HALOS

We study the empirical relation between an astronomical object's angular momentum $J$ and mass $M$, $J=\beta M^\alpha$, the $J-M$ relation, using N-body simulations. In particular, we investigate the time evolution of the $J-M$ relation to study how the initial power spectrum and cosmological model affect this relation, and to test two popular models of its origin - mechanical equilibrium and tidal torque theory. We find that in the $\Lambda$CDM model, $\alpha$ starts with a value of $\sim 1.5$ at high redshift $z$, increases monotonically, and finally reaches $5/3$ near $z=0$, whereas $\beta$ evolves linearly with time in the beginning, reaches a maximum and decreases, and stabilizes finally. A three-regime scheme is proposed to understand this newly observed picture. We show that the tidal torque theory accounts for this time evolution behaviour in the linear regime, whereas $\alpha=5/3$ comes from the virial equilibrium of haloes. The $J-M$ relation in the linear regime contains the information of the power spectrum and cosmological model. The $J-M$ relations for haloes in different environments and with different merging histories are also investigated to study the effects of a halo's non-linear evolution. An updated and more complete understanding of the $J-M$ relation is thus obtained.

GLOBULAR CLUSTER FORMATION EFFICIENCIES FROM BLACK HOLE X-RAY BINARY FEEDBACK

We investigate a scenario in which feedback from black-hole X-ray binaries (BHXBs) sometimes begins inside young star clusters before strong supernova feedback. Those BHXBs could reduce the gas fraction inside embedded young clusters whilst maintaining virial equilibrium, which may help globular clusters (GCs) to stay bound when supernova-driven gas ejection subsequently occurs. Adopting a simple toy model with parameters guided by BHXB population models, we produce GC formation efficiencies consistent with empirically-inferred values. The metallicity dependence of BHXB formation could naturally explain why GC formation efficiency is higher at lower metallicity. For reasonable assumptions about that metallicity dependence, our toy model can produce a GC metallicity bimodality in some galaxies without a bimodality in the field-star metallicity distribution.

Effect of Size Polydispersity on the Nature of Lennard-Jones Liquids.

Polydisperse fluids are encountered everywhere in biological and industrial processes. These fluids naturally show a rich phenomenology exhibiting fractionation and shifts in critical point and freezing temperatures. We study here the effect of size polydispersity on the basic nature of Lennard-Jones (LJ) liquids, which represent most molecular liquids without hydrogen bonds, via two- and three-dimensional molecular dynamics computer simulations. A single-component liquid constituting spherical particles and interacting via the LJ potential is known to exhibit strong correlations between virial and potential energy equilibrium fluctuations at constant volume. This correlation significantly simplifies the physical description of the liquid, and these liquids are now known as Roskilde-simple (RS) liquids. We show that this simple nature of the single-component LJ liquid is preserved even for very high polydispersities (above 40% polydispersity for the studied uniform distribution). We also investigate isomorphs of moderately polydisperse LJ liquids. Isomorphs are curves in the phase diagram of RS liquids along which structure, dynamics, and some thermodynamic quantities are invariant in dimensionless units. We find that isomorphs are a good approximation even for polydisperse LJ liquids. The theory of isomorphs thus extends readily to size polydisperse fluids and can be used to improve even further the understanding of these intriguing systems.

Invariants in the Yukawa system's thermodynamic phase diagram

This paper shows that several known properties of the Yukawa system can be derived from the isomorph theory, which applies to any system that has strong correlations between its virial and potential-energy equilibrium fluctuations. Such “Roskilde-simple” systems have a simplified thermodynamic phase diagram deriving from the fact that they have curves (isomorphs) along which structure and dynamics in reduced units are invariant to a good approximation. We show that the Yukawa system has strong virial potential-energy correlations and identify its isomorphs by two different methods. One method, the so-called direct isomorph check, identifies isomorphs numerically from jumps of relatively small density changes (here 10%). The second method identifies isomorphs analytically from the pair potential. The curves obtained by the two methods are close to each other; these curves are confirmed to be isomorphs by demonstrating the invariance of the radial distribution function, the static structure factor, the mean-square displacement as a function of time, and the incoherent intermediate scattering function. Since the melting line is predicted to be an isomorph, the theory provides a derivation of a known approximate analytical expression for this line in the temperature-density phase diagram. The paper's results give the first demonstration that the isomorph theory can be applied to systems like dense colloidal suspensions and strongly coupled dusty plasmas.

IN-SYNC. III. THE DYNAMICAL STATE OF IC 348—A SUPER-VIRIAL VELOCITY DISPERSION AND A PUZZLING SIGN OF CONVERGENCE

Most field stars will have encountered the highest stellar density and hence the largest number of interactions in their birth environment. Yet the stellar dynamics during this crucial phase are poorly understood. Here we analyze the radial velocities measured for 152 out of 380 observed stars in the 2?6 Myr old star cluster IC 348 as part of the SDSS-III APOGEE. The radial velocity distribution of these stars is fitted with one or two Gaussians, convolved with the measurement uncertainties including binary orbital motions. Including a second Gaussian improves the fit; the high-velocity outliers that are best fit by this second component may either (1) be contaminants from the nearby Perseus OB2 association, (2) be a halo of ejected or dispersing stars from IC 348, or (3) reflect that IC 348 has not relaxed to a Gaussian velocity distribution. We measure a velocity dispersion for IC 348 of 0.72 ? 0.07 km s?1 (or 0.64 ? 0.08 km s?1 if two Gaussians are fitted), which implies a supervirial state, unless the gas contributes more to the gravitational potential than expected. No evidence is found for a dependence of this velocity dispersion on distance from the cluster center or stellar mass. We also find that stars with lower extinction (in the front of the cloud) tend to be redshifted compared with stars with somewhat higher extinction (toward the back of the cloud). This data suggest that the stars in IC 348 are converging along the line of sight. We show that this correlation between radial velocity and extinction is unlikely to be spuriously caused by the small cluster rotation of 0.024 ? 0.013 km s?1 arcmin?1 or by correlations between the radial velocities of neighboring stars. This signature, if confirmed, will be the first detection of line of sight convergence in a star cluster. Possible scenarios for reconciling this convergence with IC 348's observed supervirial state include: (a) the cluster is fluctuating around a new virial equilibrium after a recent disruption due to gas expulsion or a merger event, or (b) the population we identify as IC 348 results from the chance alignment of two sub-clusters converging along the line of sight. Additional measurements of tangential and radial velocities in IC 348 will be important for clarifying the dynamics of this region and informing models of the formation and evolution of star clusters. The radial velocities analyzed in this paper have been made available online.

Structural properties of artificial halos in nonstandard dark matter simulations

Artificial fragmentation of the matter density field causes the formation of spurious groups of particles in N-body simulations of non-standard Dark Matter (DM) models which are characterized by a small scale cut-off in the linear matter power spectrum. These spurious halos alter the prediction of the mass function in a range of masses where differences among DM models are most relevant to observational tests. Using a suite of high resolution simulations we show that the contamination of artificial groups of particles significantly affect the statistics of halo spin, shape and virial state parameters. We find that spurious halos have systematically larger spin values, are highly elliptical or prolate and significantly deviate from virial equilibrium. These characteristics allow us to detect the presence of spurious halos even in non-standard DM models for which the low-mass end of the mass function remains well behaved. We show that selecting halos near the virial equilibrium provides a simple and effective method to remove the bulk of spurious halos from numerical halo catalogs and consistently recover the halo mass function at low masses.

TheGaia-ESO Survey:N-body modelling of the Gamma Velorum cluster

The Gaia-ESO Survey has recently unveiled the complex kinematic signature of the Gamma Velorum cluster: this cluster is composed of two kinematically distinct populations (hereafter, population A and B), showing two different velocity dispersions and a relative ~2 km s^-1 radial velocity (RV) shift. In this paper, we propose that the two populations of the Gamma Velorum cluster originate from two different sub-clusters, born from the same parent molecular cloud. We investigate this possibility by means of direct-summation N-body simulations. Our scenario is able to reproduce not only the RV shift and the different velocity dispersions, but also the different centroid (~0.5 pc), the different spatial concentration and the different line-of-sight distance (~5 pc) of the two populations. The observed 1-2 Myr age difference between the two populations is also naturally explained by our scenario, in which the two sub-clusters formed in two slightly different star formation episodes. Our simulations suggest that population B is strongly supervirial, while population A is close to virial equilibrium. We discuss the implications of our models for the formation of young star clusters and OB associations in the Milky Way.

On the generation of triaxiality in the collapse of cold spherical self-gravitating systems

Initially cold and spherically symmetric self-gravitating systems may give rise to a virial equilibrium state which is far from spherically symmetric, and typically triaxial. We focus here on how the degree of symmetry breaking in the final state depends on the initial density profile. We note that the most asymmetric structures result when, during the collapse phase, there is a strong injection of energy preferentially into the particles which are localized initially in the outer shells. These particles are still collapsing when the others, initially located in the inner part, are already re-expanding; the motion of particles in a time varying potential allow them to gain kinetic energy --- in some cases enough to be ejected from the system. We show that this mechanism of energy gain amplifies the initial small deviations from perfect spherical symmetry due to finite $N$ fluctuations. This amplification is more efficient when the initial density profile depends on radius, because particles have a greater spread of fall times compared to a uniform density profile, for which very close to symmetric final states are obtained}. These effects lead to a distinctive correlation of the orientation of the final structure with the distribution of ejected mass, and also with the initial (very small) angular fluctuations.

The Deuteration Clock for Massive Starless Cores

To understand massive star formation requires study of its initial conditions. Two massive starless core candidates, C1-N & C1-S, have been detected in IRDC G028.37+00.07 in $\rm N_2D^+$(3-2) with $ALMA$. From their line widths, either the cores are subvirial and are thus young structures on the verge of near free-fall collapse, or they are threaded by $\sim1$ mG $B$-fields that help support them in near virial equilibrium and potentially have older ages. We modeled the deuteration rate of $\rm N_2H^+$ to constrain collapse rates of the cores. First, to measure their current deuterium fraction, $D_{\rm frac}^{\rm N_2H^+}$ $\equiv [\rm N_2D^+]/[N_2H^+]$, we observed multiple transitions of $\rm N_2H^+$ and $\rm N_2D^+$ with $CARMA$, $SMA$, $JCMT$, $NRO~45m$ and $IRAM~30m$, to complement the $ALMA$ data. For both cores we derived $D_{\rm frac}^{\rm N_2H^+}\sim0.3$, several orders of magnitude above the cosmic [D]/[H] ratio. We then carried out chemodynamical modeling, exploring how collapse rate relative to free-fall, $\alpha_{\rm ff}$, affects the level of $D_{\rm frac}^{\rm N_2H^+}$ that is achieved from a given initial condition. To reach the observed $D_{\rm frac}^{\rm N_2H^+}$, most models require slow collapse with $\alpha_{\rm ff}\sim0.1$, i.e., $\sim1/10$th of free-fall. This makes it more likely that the cores have been able to reach a near virial equilibrium state and we predict that strong $B$-fields will eventually be detected. The methods developed here will be useful for measurement of the pre-stellar core mass function.

The AIMSS Project – II. Dynamical-to-stellar mass ratios across the star cluster–galaxy divide

The previously clear division between small galaxies and massive star clusters is now occupied by objects called ultra compact dwarfs (UCDs) and compact ellipticals (cEs). Here we combine a sample of UCDs and cEs with velocity dispersions from the AIMSS project with literature data to explore their dynamical-to-stellar mass ratios. We confirm that the mass ratios of many UCDs in the stellar mass range 10$^6$ -- 10$^9$ M$_{\odot}$ are systematically higher than those for globular clusters which have mass ratios near unity. However, at the very highest masses in our sample, i.e. 10$^9$ -- 10$^{10}$ M$_{\odot}$, we find that cE galaxies also have mass ratios of close to unity, indicating their central regions are mostly composed of stars. Suggested explanations for the elevated mass ratios of UCDs have included a variable IMF, a central black hole, and the presence of dark matter. Here we present another possible explanation, i.e. tidal stripping. Under various assumptions, we find that the apparent variation in the mass ratio with stellar mass and stellar density can be qualitatively reproduced by published tidal stripping simulations of a dwarf elliptical galaxy. In the early stages of the stripping process the galaxy is unlikely to be in virial equilibrium. At late stages, the final remnant resembles the properties of $\sim$10$^7$ M$_{\odot}$ UCDs. Finally, we discuss the need for more detailed realistic modelling of tidal stripping over a wider range of parameter space, and observations to further test the stripping hypothesis.

Dynamical Mass Determinations and Scaling Relations of Early-Type Galaxies

AbstractI review our understanding of classic dynamical scaling relations, relating luminosity, size and kinematics of early-type galaxies. Using unbiased determinations of galaxy mass profiles from stellar dynamical models, a simple picture has emerged in which scaling relations are driven by virial equilibrium, accompanied by a trend in the stellar mass-to-light ratio (M/L). This picture confirms the earliest insights. The trend is mainly due to the combined variation of age, metallicity and the stellar initial mass function (IMF). The systematic variations best correlate with the galaxy velocity dispersion, which traces the bulge mass fraction. This indicates a link between bulge growth and quenching of star formation. Dark matter is unimportant within the half-light radius, where the total mass profile is close to isothermal (ρ ∝r−2).

A census of the expected properties of classical Milky Way dwarfs in Milgromian dynamics

Prompted by the recent successful predictions of the internal dynamics of Andromeda's satellite galaxies (McGaugh & Milgrom 2013a,b), we revisit the classical Milky Way dwarf spheroidal satellites Draco, Sculptor, Sextans, Carina, and Fornax in the framework of Milgromian dynamics (MOND). We use for the first time a Poisson solver with adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) in order to account simultaneously for the gravitational influence of the Milky Way and its satellites. This allows to rigorously model the important external field effect (EFE) of Milgromian dynamics, which can reduce the effective acceleration significantly. We make predictions on the dynamical mass-to-light ratio (Mdyn/L) expected to be measured by an observer who assumes Newtonian dynamics to be valid. We show that Milgromian dynamics predicts typical Mdyn/L ~ 10-50 Msun/Lsun. The results for the most luminous ones, Fornax and Sculptor, agree well with available velocity dispersion data. Moreover, the central power-law slopes of the dynamical masses agree exceedingly well with values inferred observationally from velocity dispersion measurements. The results for Sextans, Carina and Draco are low compared to usually quoted observational estimates, as already pointed out by Angus (2008). For Milgromian dynamics to survive further observational tests in these objects, one would thus need that either (a) previous observational findings based on velocity dispersion measurements have overestimated the dynamical mass due to, e.g., binaries and contaminant outliers, (b) the satellites are not in virial equilibrium due to the Milky Way tidal field, or (c) the specific theory used here does not describe the EFE correctly (e.g., the EFE could be practically negligible in some other theories), or a combination of (a)-(c).

TheGaia-ESO Survey: Kinematic structure in the Gamma Velorum cluster

Context: A key science goal of the Gaia-ESO survey (GES) is to use the kinematics of low-mass stars in young clusters to probe their dynamical histories and how they populate the field as they become unbound. The clustering of low-mass stars around the massive W-R binary gamma^2 Velorum was one of the first GES targets. Aims: To empirically determine the radial velocity (RV) precision of GES data, construct a kinematically unbiased sample of cluster members and characterise their dynamical state. Methods: Targets were selected from colour-magnitude diagrams and intermediate resolution spectroscopy used to derive RVs and assess membership from the strength of the Li6708A line. The RV distribution was analysed using a maximum likelihood technique that accounts for unresolved binaries. Results: The GES RV precision is about 0.25km/s and sufficient to resolve velocity structure in the low-mass population around gamma^2 Vel. The structure is well fitted by two kinematic components with roughly equal numbers of stars; the first has an intrinsic dispersion of 0.34+/-0.16km/s, consistent with virial equilibrium. The second has a broader dispersion of 1.60+/-0.37km/s and is offset from the first by ~2km/s. The first population is older by 1-2Myr based on a greater level of Li depletion seen among its M-stars and is probably more centrally concentrated around gamma^2 Vel. Conclusions: We consider several formation scenarios, concluding that the two kinematic components are a bound remnant of the original, denser cluster that formed gamma^2 Vel, and a dispersed population from the wider Vela OB2 association, of which gamma^2 Vel is the most massive member. The apparent youth of gamma^2 Vel compared to the older (>=10Myr) low-mass population surrounding it suggests a scenario where the massive binary formed in a clustered environment after the formation of the bulk of the low-mass stars.[abridged]

The impact range for smooth wall-liquid interactions in nanoconfined liquids.

Bulk and nanoconfined liquids have very different physics; for instance, nanoconfined liquids show stratification and position-dependent relaxation processes. A number of similarities between bulk and nanoconfined liquids have nevertheless been reported in computer simulations during the last decade. Inspired by these observations, we present results from molecular dynamics computer simulations of four nanoconfined liquids (the single-component Lennard-Jones liquid, the Kob-Andersen binary Lennard-Jones mixture, an asymmetric dumbbell model, and the Dzugutov liquid) demonstrating also a microscopic similarity between bulk and nanoconfined liquids. The results show that the interaction range for the wall-liquid and liquid-liquid interactions of the nanoconfined liquid is identical to that of the bulk liquid if the liquid is "Roskilde simple" in bulk as well as nanoconfinement, i.e., exhibits strong correlations between virial and potential-energy equilibrium fluctuations in the NVT ensemble. Under this condition, interactions beyond the first coordination shell may be ignored, in particular for the wall-liquid interactions. This is shown not to be the case for non-Roskilde-simple liquids.

CONFRONTING THE OUTFLOW-REGULATED CLUSTER FORMATION MODEL WITH OBSERVATIONS

Protostellar outflows have been shown theoretically to be capable of maintaining supersonic turbulence in cluster-forming clumps and keeping the star formation rate per free-fall time as low as a few percent. We aim to test two basic predictions of this outflow-regulated cluster formation model, namely (1) the clump should be close to virial equilibrium and (2) the turbulence dissipation rate should be balanced by the outflow momentum injection rate, using recent outflow surveys toward 8 nearby cluster-forming clumps (B59, L1551, L1641N, Serpens Main Cloud, Serpens South, $\rho$ Oph, IC 348, and NGC 1333). We find, for almost all sources, that the clumps are close to virial equilibrium and the outflow momentum injection rate exceeds the turbulence momentum dissipation rate. In addition, the outflow kinetic energy is significantly smaller than the clump gravitational energy for intermediate and massive clumps with $M_{\rm cl} \gtrsim {\rm a \ few} \times 10^2 M_\odot$, suggesting that the outflow feedback is not enough to disperse the clump as a whole. The number of observed protostars also indicates that the star formation rate per free-fall time is as small as a few percent for all clumps. These observationally-based results strengthen the case for outflow-regulated cluster formation.

Binary-corrected velocity dispersions from single- and multi-epoch radial velocities: massive stars in R136 as a test case

Orbital motions from binary stars can broaden the observed line-of-sight velocity distribution of a stellar system, artificially inflating the measured line-of-sight velocity dispersion, which can in turn lead to erroneous conclusions about the dynamical state of the system. Cottaar et al. (2012b) proposed a maximum likelihood procedure to recover the intrinsic velocity dispersion of a resolved star cluster from a single epoch of radial velocity data of individual stars, which they achieved by simultaneously fitting the intrinsic velocity distribution of the single stars and the centres of mass of the binaries along with the velocity shifts caused by binary orbital motions. Assuming well-characterized binary properties, they showed that this procedure can accurately reproduce intrinsic velocity dispersions below 1 km s$^{-1}$ for solar-type stars. Here we investigate the systematic offsets induced in cases where the binary properties are uncertain, and we show how two epochs of radial velocity data with an appropriate baseline can help to mitigate these systematic effects. We first test the method above using Monte Carlo simulations, taking into account the large uncertainties in the binary properties of OB stars. We then apply it to radial velocity data in the young massive cluster R136, an example for which the intrinsic velocity dispersion of O-type stars is known from an intensive multi-epoch approach. For typical velocity dispersions of young massive clusters ($\gtrsim 4$ km s$^{-1}$) and with a single epoch of data, we demonstrate that the method can just about distinguish between a cluster in virial equilibrium and an unbound cluster. This is due to the higher spectroscopic binary fraction and more loosely constrained distributions of orbital parameters of OB stars compared to solar-type stars. By extending the maximum likelihood method to multi-epoch data, <abridged>

Ion-neutral friction and accretion-driven turbulence in self-gravitating filaments

Recent Herschel observations have confirmed that filaments are ubiquitous in molecular clouds and suggest that irrespectively of the column density, there is a characteristic width of about 0.1 pc whose physical origin remains unclear. We develop an analytical model that can be applied to self-gravitating accreting filaments. It is based on one hand on the virial equilibrium of the central part of the filament and on the other hand on energy balance between the turbulence driven by accretion onto the filament and dissipation. We consider two dissipation mechanisms the turbulent cascade and the ion-neutral friction. Our model predicts that the width of the filament inner part is almost independent of the column density and leads to values comparable to what is inferred observationally if dissipation is due to ion-neutral friction. On the contrary turbulent dissipation leads to a structure that is bigger and depends significantly on the column density. Our model provides a reasonable physical explanation which could explain the observed filament width when they are self-gravitating. It predicts the correct order or magnitude though hampered by some uncertainties.

THE DYNAMICS OF MASSIVE STARLESS CORES WITH ALMA

How do stars that are more massive than the Sun form, and thus how is the stellar initial mass function (IMF) established? Such intermediate- and high-mass stars may be born from relatively massive pre-stellar gas cores, which are more massive than the thermal Jeans mass. The Turbulent Core Accretion model invokes such cores as being in approximate virial equilibrium and in approximate pressure equilibrium with their surrounding clump medium. Their internal pressure is provided by a combination of turbulence and magnetic fields. Alternatively, the Competitive Accretion model requires strongly sub-virial initial conditions that then lead to extensive fragmentation to the thermal Jeans scale, with intermediate- and high-mass stars later forming by competitive Bondi-Hoyle accretion. To test these models, we have identified four prime examples of massive (~100Msun) clumps from mid-infrared extinction mapping of infrared dark clouds (IRDCs). Fontani et al. found high deuteration fractions of N2H+ in these objects, which are consistent with them being starless. Here we present ALMA observations of these four clumps that probe the N2D+(3-2) line at 2.3" resolution. We find six N2D+ cores and determine their dynamical state. Their observed velocity dispersions and sizes are broadly consistent with the predictions of the Turbulent Core model of self-gravitating, magnetized (with Alfven Mach number m_A~1) and virialized cores that are bounded by the high pressures of their surrounding clumps. However, in the most massive cores, with masses up to ~60Msun, our results suggest that moderately enhanced magnetic fields (so that m_A~0.3) may be needed for the structures to be in virial and pressure equilibrium. Magnetically regulated core formation may thus be important in controlling the formation of massive cores, inhibiting their fragmentation, and thus helping to establish the stellar IMF.