Variation of the core lifetime and fragmentation scale in molecular clouds as an indication of ambipolar diffusion

Ambipolar diffusion likely plays a pivotal role in the formation and evolution of dense cores weakly-ionized molecular clouds. Linear analyses show that evolutionary times fragmentation scales are significantly greater than hydrodynamic (Jeans) values even for clouds with mildly supercritical mass-to-flux ratio. We utilize growth correspond to typical ionization fractions within cloud, apply context observed estimated lifetime prestellar as well number such embedded forming parent clump. By varying single parameter, ratio, over range observationally measured densities, we fit core lifetimes ($\sim 0.1$ few Myr) identified Herschel formed clump Perseus Submillimeter Array (SMA). Our model suggests transcritical ratio higher densities somewhat but normalized $\mu$ remains $1 \lesssim \mu 2$. best-fit exhibits $B \propto n^{0.43}$ cores, due partial flux-freezing consequence ambipolar diffusion.