THE STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION OF FORMING AND EARLY STAGE STAR CLUSTERS
We study the degree of angular substructure in the stellar position distribution of young members of Galactic star-forming regions, looking for correlations with distance from cluster center, surface number density of stars, and local dynamical age. To this end we adopt the catalog of members in 18 young (∼1-3 Myr) clusters from the Massive Young Star-Forming Complex Study in Infrared and X-ray Survey and the statistical analysis of the angular dispersion parameter, δ{sub ADP,} {sub N}. We find statistically significant correlation between δ{sub ADP,} {sub N} and physical projected distance from the center of the clusters, with the centers appearing smoother than the outskirts, consistent with more rapid dynamical processing on local dynamical, free-fall or orbital timescales. Similarly, smoother distributions are seen in regions of higher surface density, or older dynamical ages. These results indicate that dynamical processing that erases substructure is already well-advanced in young, sometimes still-forming, clusters. Such observations of the dissipation of substructure have the potential to constrain theoretical models of the dynamical evolution of young and forming clusters.
- OSTI ID:
- 22364608
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 798, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
THE SNAPSHOT HUBBLE U-BAND CLUSTER SURVEY (SHUCS). I. SURVEY DESCRIPTION AND FIRST APPLICATION TO THE MIXED STAR CLUSTER POPULATION OF NGC 4041
Gaia EDR3 Reveals the Substructure and Complicated Star Formation History of the Greater Taurus-Auriga Star-forming Complex