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A Multi-wavelength survey of the Young Stellar Cluster Cep OB3b

Allen, Thomas S.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1404697742

Abstract Details

2014, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, Physics.
We present results from an extensive multi-wavelength survey of Cep OB3b, one of the largest young clusters within 1 kpc of the Sun. We estimate that Cep OB3b has a membership of approximately 3000 young stars in a region of 10 x 7 pc (Allen et al. 2012). Similar in membership and overall size to the Orion Nebular Cluster, Cep OB3b is older and more evolved, with most of the young stars located in a cavity with a V-band extinction of less than 2.5 magnitudes. Star formation is still occurring in the molecular clouds that border the cavity. Literature age estimates for this region give a range between 3 Myr and 6 Myr (Mayne et al. 2007, Littlefair et al. 2010, Bell et al. 2013). We have compiled an extensive multi-wavelength database of candidate member young stars that are well characterized with spectral types, bolometric luminosities, masses, isochronal ages, X-ray properties and the presence (or lack) of a disk. To construct a precise HR diagram for ~700 cluster members, we derive an extinction law for this region between 500 nm and 2.2 micron and find it intermediate between that of dense clouds (Rv ~ 5) and that of the diffuse ISM (Rv ~ 3). Using the Siess (2000) models and assuming a distance of 700 pc give an isochronal age of 2 Myr. We find that certain cluster properties, such as the disk fraction and rotation period distribution, vary spatially across the cluster. We analyze whether these variations are due to environmental differences (such as nearby massive O stars) or a mixture of ages in the cluster. In the case of the disks, we conclude that the variations are due to a mixture of ages.
S. Thomas Megeath, Dr. (Advisor)
Jon Bjorkman, Dr. (Committee Member)
Rupali Chandar, Dr. (Committee Member)
Scott Lee, Dr. (Committee Member)
Judith Pipher, Dr. (Committee Member)
319 p.
Astronomy
pre-main sequence stars; interstellar extinction; stellar clusters

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Allen, T. S. (2014). A Multi-wavelength survey of the Young Stellar Cluster Cep OB3b [Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1404697742

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Allen, Thomas. A Multi-wavelength survey of the Young Stellar Cluster Cep OB3b. 2014. University of Toledo, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1404697742.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Allen, Thomas. "A Multi-wavelength survey of the Young Stellar Cluster Cep OB3b." Doctoral dissertation, University of Toledo, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1404697742

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

toledo1404697742
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© 2014, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Toledo and OhioLINK.