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Register a new userSpectral Types of Field and Cluster O-Stars
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Authors
Sidney van den Bergh
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The recent catalog of spectral types of Galactic O-type stars by Maiz-Apellaniz et al. has been used to study the differences between the frequencies of various subtypes of O-type stars in the field, in OB associations and among runaway stars. At a high level of statistical significance the data show that O-stars in clusters and associations have earlier types (and hence presumably larger masses and/or younger ages) than those that are situated in the general field. Furthermore it is found that the distribution of spectral subtypes among runaway O-stars is indistinguishable from that among field stars, and differs significantly from that of the O-type stars that are situated in clusters and associations. The difference is in the sense that runaway O-stars, on average, have later subtypes than do those that are still located in clusters and associations.
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