New deep XMM-Newton observations to the west of the sigma Orionis cluster

TL;DR

This study analyzes XMM-Newton data to characterize the X-ray properties of young stars and brown dwarfs in the outer region of the sigma Orionis cluster, revealing new X-ray sources and coronal activity patterns.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed X-ray analysis of the external region of sigma Orionis, identifying new young stars and measuring their coronal properties.

Findings

Most X-ray detections, including nine young stars, are new.

X-ray properties of young stars are consistent with those in the cluster center.

Detected flaring events with significant flux increases and high coronal temperatures.

Abstract

Aims: The objective of this study is to determine the general X-ray properties of the young stars in the external regions of the sigma Orionis cluster (tau ~ 3 Ma, d ~ 385 pc) and yield constraints on the X-ray emission of brown dwarfs. Methods: We carried out a careful analysis of public data taken in an unexplored region to the west of the centre of the cluster with the three EPIC cameras onboard the XMM-Newton mission. We looked for new X-ray young stars among the 41 identified X-ray sources in the area with maximum likelihood parameters L > 15 by cross-correlation with the USNO-B1, DENIS, and 2MASS databases. Results: Based on colour-colour, colour-magnitude, and hardness ratio diagrams, and previous spectroscopic, astrometric, and infrared-flux excess information, we classified the optical/near-infrared counterparts of the X-ray sources into: young stars (15), field stars (4), galaxies (19), and sources of unknown nature (3). Most of the X-ray detections, including those of nine young stars, are new. We derived the X-ray properties (e.g. temperatures, metallicities, column densities) of the twelve young stars with the largest signal-to-noise ratios. The X-ray parameters determined here are in well agreement with those found in the cluster centre, where the stellar density is higher. There is no relation between infrared excess and column density from X-ray measurement in our data. We detected flaring events in two young stars of the sample. One of them showed a very large (~ 30) relative increase in flux. Both stars showed high coronal temperatures during the observation. Finally, we determined upper limits to the flux of the young stars and bright brown dwarfs not detected by our searching algorithm.