X-ray and IR Point Source Identification and Characteristics in the Embedded, Massive Star-Forming Region RCW 108

TL;DR

This study combines X-ray and infrared observations to analyze the properties and distribution of young stars in the RCW 108 star-forming region, revealing diverse stellar populations and disk presence.

Contribution

It provides a detailed multi-wavelength characterization of the embedded star-forming region RCW 108, including source identification, spatial segmentation, and disk fraction estimation.

Findings

Over 420 X-ray sources detected, with 360 having IR counterparts.

Approximately 50% of stars show evidence of disks from IR data.

Estimated 1600 pre-main sequence stars in the region.

Abstract

We report on the results of an approximately 90 ks Chandra observation of a complex region that hosts multiple sites of recent and active star formation in ARA OB1a. The field is centered on the embedded cluster RCW 108-IR and includes and a large portion of the open cluster NGC 6193. We detect over 420 X-ray sources in the field and combined these data with deep near-IR, Spitzer/IRAC and MSX mid-IR data. We find about 360 of the X-ray sources have near--IR counterparts. We divide the region into 5 parts based on the X-ray point source characteristics and extended 8 micron emission. The most clearly defined regions are the central region - identified by embedded sources with high luminosities in the both the near-IR and X-ray as well as high X-ray temperatures (about 3 keV) and the eastern region - identified by low extinction and 1 keV X-ray temperatures. Other regions, identified by their directional relationship to RCW 108-IR are less uniform - representing combinations of the first two regions, independent star formation epochs, or both. Over 18% percent of the cluster members with over 100 counts exhibit flares. Overall about 50% of the stars appear to have optically thick disks when IRAC data are employed. The largest fraction of X-ray sources are best described as possessing some disk material via a more detailed extinction fitting. We estimate that the total number of pre--main sequence stars in the field is about 1600. Approximately 800 are confined to (1.1 pc) central region.