No Arabic abstract
Young open clusters are ideal laboratories to understand star formation process. We present deep UBV I and Halpha photometry for the young open cluster IC 1590 in the center of the H II region NGC 281. Early-type members are selected from UBV photometric diagrams, and low-mass pre-main sequence (PMS) members are identified by using Halpha photometry. In addition, the published X-ray source list and Gaia astrometric data are also used to isolate probable members. A total of 408 stars are selected as members. The mean reddening obtained from early-type members is <E(B-V) = 0.40 +/- 0.06 (s.d.). We confirm the abnormal extinction law for the intracluster medium. The distance modulus to the cluster determined from the zero-age main-sequence fitting method is 12.3 +/- 0.2 mag (d = 2.88 +/- 0.28 kpc), which is consistent with the distance d = 2.70 ^+0.24 _-0.20 kpc from the recent Gaia parallaxes. We also estimate the ages and masses of individual members by means of stellar evolutionary models. The mode of the age of PMS stars is about 0.8 Myr. The initial mass function of IC 1590 is derived. It appears a steeper shape (Gamma = -1.49 +/- 0.14) than that of the Salpeter/Kroupa initial mass function for the high mass regime (m > 1 M_sun). The signature of mass segregation is detected from the difference in the slopes of the initial mass functions for the inner (r < 2.5) and outer region of this cluster. We finally discuss the star formation history in NGC 281.
We present a UBV I and H alpha photometric study of the young open cluster NGC 1893 in the H II region W8 (IC 410 or Sh 2-236). A total of 65 early-type members are selected from photometric diagrams. A mean reddening of the stars is <E(B-V)> = 0.563 +/- 0.083 mag. The published photometric data in the near- and mid-infrared passbands are used to test the reddening law toward the cluster, and we confirm that the reddening law is normal (R_V = 3.1). Zero-age main sequence fitting gives a distance modulus of V_0 - M_V = 12.7 +/- 0.2 mag, equivalent to 3.5 +/- 0.3 kpc. From H alpha photometry 125 H alpha emission stars and candidates are identified as pre-main sequence (PMS). The lists of young stellar objects and X-ray sources published by previous studies allow us to select a large number of PMS members down to 1 M_sun. Isochrone fitting in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram gives a turn-off age of 1.5 Myr and the median age of 1.9 Myr from the PMS members with a spread of 5 Myr. We derive the initial mass function (IMF) for stars with mass larger than 1 M_sun. The slope of the IMF (Gamma = -1.3 +/- 0.1) is well consistent with the Salpeter/Kroupa IMF. A total mass of the cluster appears to be in excess of 1,300 M_sun. Finally, we estimate the mass accretion rate of 82 PMS members in the mass range of 0.6 M_sun to 5 M_sun.
Young open clusters located in the outer Galaxy provide us with an opportunity to study star formation activity in a different environment from the solar neighborhood. We present a UBVI and H alpha photometric study of the young open clusters NGC 1624 and NGC 1931 that are situated toward the Galactic anticenter. Various photometric diagrams are used to select the members of the clusters and to determine the fundamental parameters. NGC 1624 and NGC 1931 are, on average, reddened by <E(B-V)> = 0.92 +/- 0.05 and 0.74 +/- 0.17 mag, respectively. The properties of the reddening toward NGC 1931 indicate an abnormal reddening law (Rv,cl = 5.2 +/- 0.3). Using the zero-age main sequence fitting method we confirm that NGC 1624 is 6.0 +/- 0.6 kpc away from the Sun, whereas NGC 1931 is at a distance of 2.3 +/- 0.2 kpc. The results from isochrone fitting in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram indicate the ages of NGC 1624 and NGC 1931 to be less than 4 Myr and 1.5 - 2.0 Myr, respectively. We derived the initial mass function (IMF) of the clusters. The slope of the IMF (Gamma_NGC 1624 = -2.0 +/- 0.2 and Gamma_NGC 1931 = -2.0 +/- 0.1) appears to be steeper than that of the Salpeter/Kroupa IMF. We discuss the implication of the derived IMF based on simple Monte-Carlo simulations and conclude that the property of star formation in the clusters seems not to be far different from that in the solar neighborhood.
Star clusters are superb astrophysical laboratories containing cospatial and coeval samples of stars with similar chemical composition. We have initiated the Sejong Open cluster Survey (SOS) - a project dedicated to providing homogeneous photometry of a large number of open clusters in the SAAO Johnson-Cousins $UBVI$ system. To achieve our main goal, we have paid much attention to the observation of standard stars in order to reproduce the SAAO standard system. Many of our targets are relatively small, sparse clusters that escaped previous observations. As clusters are considered building blocks of the Galactic disk, their physical properties such as the initial mass function, the pattern of mass segregation, etc. give valuable information on the formation and evolution of the Galactic disk. The spatial distribution of young open clusters will be used to revise the local spiral arm structure of the Galaxy. In addition, the homogeneous data can also be used to test stellar evolutionary theory, especially concerning rare massive stars. In this paper we present the target selection criteria, the observational strategy for accurate photometry, and the adopted calibrations for data analysis such as color-color relations, zero-age main sequence relations, Sp - Mv relations, Sp - Teff relations, Sp - color relations, and Teff - BC relations. Finally we provide some data analysis such as the determination of the reddening law, the membership selection criteria, and distance determination.
We present a comprehensive photometric analysis of a young open cluster NGC 1960 (M36) along with the long-term variability study of this cluster. Based on the kinematic data of Gaia DR2, the membership probabilities of 3871 stars are ascertained in the cluster field among which 262 stars are found to be cluster members. Considering the kinematic and trigonometric measurements of the cluster members, we estimate a mean cluster parallax of 0.86+/-0.05 mas and mean proper motions of mu_RA = -0.143+/-0.008 mas/yr, mu_Dec = -3.395+/-0.008 mas/yr. We obtain basic parameters of the cluster such as E(B-V) = 0.24+/-0.02 mag, log(Age/yr)=7.44+/-0.02, and distance = 1.17+/-0.06 kpc. The mass function slope in the cluster for the stars in the mass range of 0.72-7.32 M_solar is found to be gamma = -1.26+/-0.19. We find that mass segregation is still taking place in the cluster which is yet to be dynamically relaxed. This work also presents first high-precision variability survey in the central 13x13 among which 72 are periodic variables. Among them, 59 are short-period (P<1 day)and 13 are long-period (P>1 day). The variable stars have V magnitudes ranging between 9.1 to 19.4 mag and periods between 41 minutes to 10.74 days. On the basis of their locations in the H-R diagram, periods and characteristic light curves, the 20 periodic variables belong to the cluster. We classified them as 2 delta-Scuti, 3 gamma-Dor, 2 slowly pulsating B stars, 5 rotational variables, 2 non-pulsating B stars and 6 as miscellaneous variables.
We present optical photometric, spectroscopic data for the stars in the high Galactic latitude molecular cloud MBM 110. For the complete membership selection of MBM 110, we also analyze WISE mid-infrared data and Gaia astrometric data. Membership of individual stars is critically evaluated using the data mentioned above. The Gaia parallax of stars in MBM 110 is 2.667 +/- 0.095 mas (d = 375 +/- 13 pc), which confirms that MBM 110 is a small star-forming region in the Orion-Eridanus superbubble. The age of MBM 110 is between 1.9 Myr and 3.1 Myr depending on the adopted pre-main sequence evolution model. The total stellar mass of MBM 110 is between 16 M_sun (members only) and 23 M_sun (including probable members). The star formation efficiency is estimated to be about 1.4%. We discuss the importance of such small star formation regions in the context of the global star formation rate and suggest that a galaxys star formation rate calculated from the Halpha luminosity may underestimate the actual star formation rate. We also confirm a young brown dwarf member based on photometry, spectroscopy, and astrometry.