scholarly journals Unlocking Galactic Wolf–Rayet stars with Gaia DR2 – II. Cluster and association membership

2020 ◽  
Vol 495 (1) ◽  
pp. 1209-1226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gemma Rate ◽  
Paul A Crowther ◽  
Richard J Parker
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Galactic Centre ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Cluster Membership ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
Centre Region ◽  
Ob Associations ◽  
Mass Segregation ◽  
Gaia Dr2

ABSTRACT Galactic Wolf–Rayet (WR) star membership of star-forming regions can be used to constrain the formation environments of massive stars. Here, we utilize Gaia DR2 parallaxes and proper motions to reconsider WR star membership of clusters and associations in the Galactic disc, supplemented by recent near-infrared studies of young massive clusters. We find that only 18–36 per cent of 553 WR stars external to the Galactic Centre region are located in clusters, OB associations or obscured star-forming regions, such that at least 64 per cent of the known disc WR population are isolated, in contrast with only 13 per cent of O stars from the Galactic O star Catalogue. The fraction located in clusters, OB associations or star-forming regions rises to 25–41 per cent from a global census of 663 WR stars including the Galactic Centre region. We use simulations to explore the formation processes of isolated WR stars. Neither runaways, nor low-mass clusters, are numerous enough to account for the low cluster membership fraction. Rapid cluster dissolution is excluded as mass segregation ensures WR stars remain in dense, well-populated environments. Only low-density environments consistently produce WR stars that appeared to be isolated during the WR phase. We therefore conclude that a significant fraction of WR progenitors originate in low-density association-like surroundings which expand over time. We provide distance estimates to clusters and associations host to WR stars, and estimate cluster ages from isochrone fitting.

scholarly journals The potential of using KMOS for multi-object massive star spectroscopy

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (S329) ◽  
pp. 454-454
Author(s):  
Michael Wegner ◽  
Ralf Bender ◽  
Ray Sharples ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Galaxy Formation ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
High Redshift ◽  
High Mass ◽  
Galactic Centre ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
Spectral Bands ◽  
Galaxy Formation And Evolution ◽  
Potential Applications

AbstractKMOS, the “K-Band Multi-Object Spectrometer”, was built by a British-German consortium as a second generation instrument for the ESO Paranal Observatory. It is available to the user community since its successful commissioning in 2013 (Sharples et al. 2013). As a multi-object integral field spectrometer for the near infrared, KMOS offers 24 deployable IFUs of 2.8x2.8 arcsec and 14x14 spatial pixels each, which can either be placed individually within a 7.2 arcmin field of view or combined in a Mosaic mode in order to map contiguous fields on sky. The instrument covers the whole range of NIR atmospheric windows (0.8. . .2.5μm) with 5 spectral bands and a resolution of R ≈ 3000. . .4000.Although the main science driver for KMOS was to enable the study of galaxy formation and evolution through multiplexed observations of high-redshift galaxies, KMOS also already exhibited its tremendous potential for the spectroscopy of massive stars: A quantitative study of 27 RSGs in NGC 300 (Gazak et al. 2015) proves its applicability for the spectroscopy of individual stars even beyond the Local Group. A Mosaic observation of the Galactic centre (Feldmeier-Krause et al. 2015) demonstrates how spectra of early-type stars can be extracted from a contiguous field. Other applications include (but need not be limited to) velocity determinations of globular cluster stars, observations of jets/outflows of high mass protostars, or contiguous mapping of star-forming regions.We therefore aim at presenting the excellent capabilities of KMOS to a wider community and indicate potential applications.

scholarly journals The Violent Interstellar Medium of Nearby Dwarf Galaxies

1999 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabian Walter
Keyword(s):  
Interstellar Medium ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Dwarf Galaxies ◽  
Young Star ◽  
Stellar Winds ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
Supernova Explosions ◽  
High Velocity Clouds ◽  
Ob Associations

AbstractHigh resolution HI observations of nearby dwarf galaxies (most of which are situated in the M81 group at a distance of about 3·2 Mpc) reveal that their neutral interstellar medium (ISM) is dominated by hole-like features most of which are expanding. A comparison of the physical properties of these holes with the ones found in more massive spiral galaxies (such as M31 and M33) shows that they tend to reach much larger sizes in dwarf galaxies. This can be understood in terms of the galaxy's gravitational potential. The origin of these features is still a matter of debate. In general, young star forming regions (OB-associations) are held responsible for their formation. This picture, however, is not without its critics and other mechanisms such as the infall of high velocity clouds, turbulent motions or even gamma ray bursters have been recently proposed. Here I will present one example of a supergiant shell in IC 2574 which corroborates the picture that OB associations are indeed creating these structures. This particular supergiant shell is currently the most promising case to study the effects of the combined effects of stellar winds and supernova explosions which shape the neutral interstellar medium of (dwarf) galaxies.

scholarly journals Shocked Molecular Hydrogen from Star Forming Regions

1987 ◽  
Vol 115 ◽  
pp. 181-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adair P. Lane ◽  
John Bally
Keyword(s):  
Shock Waves ◽  
High Velocity ◽  
Molecular Hydrogen ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Young Stars ◽  
Emission Lines ◽  
Molecular Gas ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
Post Shock

Near infrared (2 micron) emission lines from molecular hydrogen provide a powerful probe of the morphology and energetics of outflows associated with stellar birth. The H2 emission regions trace the location of shock waves formed when the high velocity outflow from young stars encounters dense quiescent gas. Since H2 is the dominant coolant of the hot post-shock molecular gas, the H2 lines provide a measure of the fraction of the total mechanical luminosity radiated away from the cloud.

scholarly journals A new distance to the Brick, the dense molecular cloud G0.253+0.016

2021 ◽  
Vol 502 (1) ◽  
pp. 1246-1252
Author(s):  
M Zoccali ◽  
E Valenti ◽  
F Surot ◽  
O A Gonzalez ◽  
A Renzini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Molecular Cloud ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Dynamical Evolution ◽  
Galactic Centre ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Centre Region ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Red Clump

ABSTRACT We analyse the near-infrared colour–magnitude diagram of a field including the giant molecular cloud G0.253+0.016 (a.k.a. The Brick) observed at high spatial resolution, with HAWK-I@VLT. The distribution of red clump stars in a line of sight crossing the cloud, compared with that in a direction just beside it, and not crossing it, allow us to measure the distance of the cloud from the Sun to be 7.20, with a statistical uncertainty of ±0.16 and a systematic error of ±0.20 kpc. This is significantly closer than what is generally assumed, i.e. that the cloud belongs to the near side of the central molecular zone, at 60 pc from the Galactic centre. This assumption was based on dynamical models of the central molecular zone, observationally constrained uniquely by the radial velocity of this and other clouds. Determining the true position of the Brick cloud is relevant because this is the densest cloud of the Galaxy not showing any ongoing star formation. This puts the cloud off by one order of magnitude from the Kennicutt–Schmidt relation between the density of the dense gas and the star formation rate. Several explanations have been proposed for this absence of star formation, most of them based on the dynamical evolution of this and other clouds, within the Galactic centre region. Our result emphasizes the need to include constraints coming from stellar observations in the interpretation of our Galaxy’s central molecular zone.

Deep Near-Infrared Surveys and Young Brown Dwarf Populations in Star-Forming Regions

2003 ◽  
Vol 211 ◽  
pp. 87-90
Author(s):  
M. Tamura ◽  
T. Naoi ◽  
Y. Oasa ◽  
Y. Nakajima ◽  
C. Nagashima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Adaptive Optics ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Brown Dwarf ◽  
Ir Camera ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
New Instrument ◽  
Infrared Surveys ◽  
Low Mass

We are currently conducting three kinds of IR surveys of star forming regions (SFRs) in order to seek for very low-mass young stellar populations. First is a deep JHKs-bands (simultaneous) survey with the SIRIUS camera on the IRSF 1.4m or the UH 2.2m telescopes. Second is a very deep JHKs survey with the CISCO IR camera on the Subaru 8.2m telescope. Third is a high resolution companion search around nearby YSOs with the CIAO adaptive optics coronagraph IR camera on the Subaru. In this contribution, we describe our SIRIUS camera and present preliminary results of the ongoing surveys with this new instrument.

scholarly journals MAGMO: polarimetry of 1720-MHz OH masers towards southern star-forming regions

2020 ◽  
Vol 493 (1) ◽  
pp. 199-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
C S Ogbodo ◽  
J A Green ◽  
J R Dawson ◽  
S L Breen ◽  
S A Mao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Star Formation ◽  
Ground State ◽  
Supernova Remnants ◽  
Galactic Centre ◽  
Galactic Magnetic Field ◽  
Field Orientation ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
Methanol Masers

ABSTRACT From targeted observations of ground-state hydroxyl (OH) masers towards 702 Methanol Multibeam survey 6.7-GHz methanol masers, in the Galactic longitude range from 186° through the Galactic Centre to 20°, made as part of the ‘MAGMO’ (Mapping the Galactic Magnetic field through OH masers) project, we present the physical and polarization properties of the 1720-MHz OH maser transition, including the identification of Zeeman pairs. We present 10 new and 23 previously catalogued 1720-MHz OH maser sources detected towards star-forming regions (SFRs). In addition, we also detected 16 1720-MHz OH masers associated with supernova remnants and two sites of diffuse OH emission. Towards the 33 star formation masers, we identify 44 Zeeman pairs, implying magnetic field strengths ranging from −11.4 to +13.2 mG, and a median magnetic field strength of |BLOS| ∼ 6 mG. With limited statistics, we present the in situ magnetic field orientation of the masers and the Galactic magnetic field distribution revealed by the 1720-MHz transition. We also examine the association statistics of 1720-MHz OH SFR masers with other ground-state OH masers, excited-state OH masers, class I and class II methanol masers, and water masers, and compare maser positions with mid-infrared images of the parent SFRs. Of the 33 1720-MHz star formation masers, 10 are offset from their central exciting sources, and appear to be associated with outflow activity.

scholarly journals Near Infrared Polarimetry of Dark Clouds and Star Forming Regions - Two Micron Polarization Survey of T Tauri Stars

1990 ◽  
Vol 140 ◽  
pp. 327-328
Author(s):  
M. Tamura ◽  
S. Sato
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Magnetic Fields ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Background Field ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Dark Clouds ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
Stellar Sources ◽  
Geometrical Relationship ◽  
The Magnetic Field

Infrared polarimetry is one of the most useful methods to delineate the magnetic field structure in dark clouds and star-forming regions, where the intracloud extinction is so large that optical polarimetry is inaccessible. We have been conducting a near-infrared polarization survey of background field stars and embedded sources toward nearby dark clouds and star-forming regions (Tamura 1988). Particularly, the magnetic field structure in the denser regions of the clouds are well revealed in Heiles Cloud 2 in Taurus, ρ Oph core, and NGC1333 region in Perseus (Tamura et al. 1987; Sato et al. 1988; Tamura et al. 1988). This survey also suggests an interesting geometrical relationship between magnetic field and star-formation: the IR polarization of young stellar sources associated with mass outflow phenomena is perpendicular to the magnetic fields. This relationship suggests a presence of circumstellar matter (probably dust disk) with its plane perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field. Combining with another geometrical relationship that the elongation of the denser regions of the cloud is perpendicular to the magnetic field, the geometry suggests that the cloud contraction and subsequent star-formation have been strongly affected by the magnetic fields. Thus, it is important to study the universality of such geometrical relationship between IR polarization of young stellar sources and magnetic fields. In this paper, we report the results on a 2 micron polarization survey of 39 T Tauri stars, 8 young stellar objects and 11 background field stars in Taurus dark cloud complex.

scholarly journals A Two-Dimensional Near—Infrared Speckle Imaging Survey of T Tauri Stars in Taurus and Ophiuchus

1992 ◽  
Vol 135 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
A. Ghez ◽  
G. Neugebauer ◽  
K. Matthews
Keyword(s):  
Binary Stars ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Angular Separation ◽  
Speckle Interferometry ◽  
T Tauri Stars ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Double Stars ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
T Tauri

AbstractWe present the results of a magnitude limited (K≤8.5 mag) multiplicity survey of T Tauri stars in the two nearest star forming regions, Taurus-Auriga and Ophiuchus-Scorpius (D = 150 pc), observable from the northern hemisphere. Each of the 70 stars in the sample was imaged at 2.2 μm using two-dimensional speckle interferometry resulting in a survey sensitive to binary stars with separations ranging from 0.″09 to about 2″.5.The frequency of double stars with separation in this range is 46±8%. A division between the classical T Tauri stars and the weak-lined T Tauri stars shows no distinction. Furthermore, no difference is observed between the binary frequencies in the two star forming regions although the clouds have very different properties.Given the limited angular separation range that this survey is sensitive to, both the spectroscopic and wide binaries will be missed. The rate at which binaries are detected suggests that most, if not all, T Tauri stars have companions.

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