A sample of 1.3mm continuum cores in the Dragon infrared dark cloud (also known as G28.37+0.07 or G28.34+0.06) is analyzed statistically. Based on their association with molecular outflows, the sample is divided into protostellar and starless cores. Statistical tests suggest that the protostellar cores are more massive than the starless cores, even after temperature and opacity biases are accounted for. We suggest that the mass difference indicates core mass growth since their formation. The mass growth implies that massive star formation may not have to start with massive prestellar cores, depending on the core mass growth rate. Its impact on the relation between core mass function and stellar initial mass function is to be further explored.

Cone search capability for table J/ApJ/912/156/tablea1 (Core kinematics)