The evolutionary tracks of a protostar of one solar mass under quasi-hydrostatic equilibrium are computed with mass-accretion time scales of 10^3,10^4,10^5 and 10^6 years, and their resulting behaviors in the H-R diagram are discussed.
It is found that there exists a critical time scale of mass accretion, which reverses the course of their evolutionary tracks. A value of the critical time scale appears to lie between 10^3 and 10^4 years. The physical cause for the presence of the critical time scale is discussed. Finally, it is proposed that star formation requires at least several 10^3 years before any star is born out of dark dense interstellar clouds.

• HONG SIK YUN(Department of Astronomy, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University)