Completing the protostellar luminosity function in Cygnus-X with <i>SOFIA/FORCAST</i> imaging

ABSTRACT We present a new SOFIA/FORCAST mid-infrared survey of luminous protostars and crowded star-forming environments in Cygnus X, the nearest million-solar mass molecular cloud complex. derive bolometric luminosities for over 1000 sources region with these data combination extant Spitzer UKIDSS photometry, 63 protostar candidates identified by way high-quality data. By including FORCAST data, we construct protostellar luminosity functions (PLFs) improved completeness at high end. The PLFs are well described power-law function an index ∼−0.5. Based on Herschel temperature column density measurements, find no obvious dependence local gas temperature, but regions stellar or exhibit some excess higher luminosities. Through comparison between our observed existing accretion models, both turbulent core competitive models consistent results, while isothermal sphere model is disfavoured. implications results star formation process discussed.