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Starless Cores (or Pre-protostellar cores) represent the earliest
observable stage of low-mass (M < few M_sun) star-formation.
There is a significant gap in our understanding
of this initial phase of low-mass star formation. Competing theories of
dense core formation predict different dynamical behaviors.
The standard theory involving ambi-polar diffusion envisions a gentle,
quasi-static formation of the starless cores, whereas the widely discussed
scenario involving turbulent compression predicts a more violent formation
on a shorter time scale. In order to understand the initial conditions
of dense core and protostar formation, we must develop and characterize an
evolutionary sequence for starless cores. This requires detailed
knowledge of the physical structure (density, temperature, velocity, and
chemical structure) of the core and how those
properties vary with time. I shall summarize and evaluate current projects
that are attempting to constrain core structure and
the development of an evolutionary sequence for starless cores.
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