No Arabic abstract
We present $UBVI_c$ CCD photometry of the young open cluster Stock 8 with the aim to study the basic properties and star formation scenario in this region. The radius of the cluster is found to be $sim 6^{prime}$ ($sim 3.6$ pc) and the reddening within the cluster region varies from $E(B-V)=0.40$ to 0.60 mag. The cluster is located at a distance of $2.05 pm 0.10$ kpc. Using H$alpha$ slitless spectroscopy and 2MASS NIR data we identified H$alpha$ emission and NIR excess young stellar objects (YSOs), respectively. The colour-magnitude diagrams of these YSOs reveal that majority of these objects have ages between 1 to 5 Myr indicating a non-coeval star formation in the cluster. Massive stars in the cluster region reveal an average age of $le$ 2 Myr. In the cluster region ($r le 6^prime$) the slope of the mass function (MF), $Gamma$, in the mass range $sim 1.0 le M/M_odot < 13.4$ can be represented by a power law having a slope of $-1.38pm0.12$, which agrees well with Salpeter value (-1.35). In the mass range $0.3 le M/M_odot < 1.0$, the MF is also found to follow a power law with a shallower slope of $Gamma = -0.58pm 0.23$ indicating a break in the slope of the IMF at $sim 1 M_odot$. The slope of the $K$-band luminosity function for the cluster ($r le 6^prime$) is found to be $0.31pm0.02$, which is smaller than the average value ($sim$ 0.4) obtained for embedded star clusters. A significant number of YSOs are distributed along a Nebulous Stream towards the east side of the cluster. A small cluster is embedded in the Nebulous Stream. The YSOs lying in the Nebulous Stream and in the embedded cluster are found to be younger than the stars in the cluster Stock 8. It appears that star formation activity in the Nebulous Stream and embedded cluster may be independent from that of Stock 8.
We present $UBVI_C$ CCD photometry of the young open cluster Be 59 with the aim to study the star formation scenario in the cluster. The radial extent of the cluster is found to be $sim$ 10 arcmin (2.9 pc). The interstellar extinction in the cluster region varies between $E(B-V) simeq$ 1.4 to 1.8 mag. The ratio of total-to-selective extinction in the cluster region is estimated as $3.7pm0.3$. The distance of the cluster is found to be $1.00pm0.05$ kpc. Using near-infrared colours and slitless spectroscopy, we have identified young stellar objects (YSOs) in the open cluster Be 59 region. The ages of these YSOs range between $<1$ Myr to $sim$ 2 Myr, whereas the mean age of the massive stars in the cluster region is found to be $sim$ 2 Myr. There is evidence for second generation star formation outside the boundary of the cluster, which may be triggered by massive stars in the cluster. The slope of the initial mass function, $Gamma$, in the mass range $2.5 < M/M_odot le 28$ is found to be $-1.01pm0.11$ which is shallower than the Salpeter value (-1.35), whereas in the mass range $1.5 < M/M_odot le 2.5$ the slope is almost flat. The slope of the K-band luminosity function is estimated as $0.27pm0.02$, which is smaller than the average value ($sim$0.4) reported for young embedded clusters. Approximately 32% of H$alpha$ emission stars of Be 59 exhibit NIR excess indicating that inner disks of the T-Tauri star (TTS) population have not dissipated. The MSX and IRAS-HIRES images around the cluster region are also used to study the emission from unidentified infrared bands and to estimate the spatial distribution of optical depth of warm and cold interstellar dust.
We present a comprehensive multi-wavelength study of the star-forming region NGC 1893 to explore the effects of massive stars on low-mass star formation. Using near-infrared colours, slitless spectroscopy and narrow-band $Halpha$ photometry in the cluster region we have identified candidate young stellar objects (YSOs) distributed in a pattern from the cluster to one of the nearby nebulae Sim 129. The $V, (V-I)$ colour-magnitude diagram of the YSOs indicates that majority of these objects have ages between 1 to 5 Myr. The spread in the ages of the YSOs may indicate a non-coeval star formation in the cluster. The slope of the KLF for the cluster is estimated to be $0.34pm0.07$, which agrees well with the average value ($sim 0.4$) reported for young clusters. For the entire observed mass range $0.6 < M/M_odot le 17.7$ the value of the slope of the initial mass function, $`Gamma$, comes out to be $-1.27pm0.08$, which is in agreement with the Salpeter value of -1.35 in the solar neighborhood. However, the value of $`Gamma$ for PMS phase stars (mass range $0.6 < M/M_odot le 2.0$) is found to be $-0.88pm0.09$ which is shallower than the value ($-1.71pm0.20$) obtained for MS stars having mass range $2.5 < M/M_odot le 17.7$ indicating a break in the slope of the mass function at $sim 2 M_odot$. Estimated $`Gamma$ values indicate an effect of mass segregation for main-sequence stars, in the sense that massive stars are preferentially located towards the cluster center. The estimated dynamical evolution time is found to be greater than the age of the cluster, therefore the observed mass segregation in the cluster may be the imprint of the star formation process. There is evidence for triggered star formation in the region, which seems to govern initial morphology of the cluster.
Different environmental conditions can play a crucial role in determining final products of the star formation process and in this context, less favorable activities of star formation are expected in the external regions of our Galaxy. We studied the properties of the young open cluster NGC 1893 located about 12 Kpc from the galactic center, to investigate how different physical conditions can affect the process of star formation. By adopting a multiwavelength approach, we compiled a catalog extending from X-rays to NIR data to derive the cluster membership. In addition, optical and NIR photometric properties are used to evaluate the cluster parameters. We find 415 diskless candidate members plus 1061 young stellar objects with a circumstellar disk or class II candidate members, 125 of which are also Halpha emitters. Considering the diskless candidate members, we find that the cluster distance is 3.6$pm$0.2 kpc and the mean interstellar reddening is E(B-V)=0.6$pm$0.1 with evidence of differential reddening in the whole surveyed region. NGC 1893 contains a conspicuous population of pre-main sequence stars together with the well studied main sequence cluster population; we found a disk fraction of about 70% similar to that found in clusters of similar age in the solar neighbour and then, despite expected unfavorable conditions for star formation, we conclude that very rich young clusters can form also in the outer regions of our Galaxy.
Most stars are born in rich young stellar clusters (YSCs) embedded in giant molecular clouds. The most massive stars live out their short lives there, profoundly influencing their natal environments by ionizing HII regions, inflating wind-blown bubbles, and soon exploding as supernovae. Thousands of lower-mass pre-main sequence stars accompany the massive stars, and the expanding HII regions paradoxically trigger new star formation as they destroy their natal clouds. While this schematic picture is established, our understanding of the complex astrophysical processes involved in clustered star formation have only just begun to be elucidated. The technologies are challenging, requiring both high spatial resolution and wide fields at wavelengths that penetrate obscuring molecular material and remove contaminating Galactic field stars. We outline several important projects for the coming decade: the IMFs and structures of YSCs; triggered star formation around YSC; the fate of OB winds; the stellar populations of Infrared Dark Clouds; the most massive star clusters in the Galaxy; tracing star formation throughout the Galactic Disk; the Galactic Center region and YSCs in the Magellanic Clouds. Programmatic recommendations include: developing a 30m-class adaptive optics infrared telescope; support for high-resolution and wide field X-ray telescopes; large-aperture sub-millimeter and far-infrared telescopes; multi-object infrared spectrographs; and both numerical and analytical theory.
In this work we have carried out an in-depth analysis of the young stellar content in the W3 GMC. The YSO population was identified and classified in the IRAC/MIPS color-magnitude space according to the `Class scheme and compared to other classifications based on intrinsic properties. Class 0/I and II candidates were also compared to low/intermediate-mass pre-main-sequence stars selected through their colors and magnitudes in 2MASS. We find that a reliable color/magnitude selection of low-mass PMS stars in the infrared requires prior knowledge of the protostar population, while intermediate mass objects can be more reliably identified. By means of the MST algorithm and our YSO spatial distribution and age maps we investigated the YSO groups and the star formation history in W3. We find signatures of clustered and distributed star formation in both triggered and quiescent environments. The central/western parts of the GMC are dominated by large scale turbulence likely powered by isolated bursts of star formation that triggered secondary star formation events. Star formation in the eastern high density layer also shows signs of extended periods of star formation. While our findings support triggering as a key factor for inducing and enhancing some of the major star forming activity in the HDL (e.g., W3 Main/W3(OH)), we argue that some degree of quiescent or spontaneous star formation is required to explain the observed YSO population. Our results also support previous studies claiming an spontaneous origin for the isolated massive star(s) powering KR 140.