Statistical Analysis of stars with Ha emission in IC 348 Cluster

TL;DR

This study provides a detailed statistical analysis of 215 stars with H-alpha emission in the IC 348 cluster, revealing patterns in star brightness, emission types, X-ray associations, and age distribution, highlighting star formation history.

Contribution

It offers new insights into the distribution, age, and activity levels of stars in IC 348, especially regarding the spatial concentration of massive, low-activity stars.

Findings

80% of stars in the 13.0<R-AR<19.0 range show emission.

70% of X-ray sources are WTTau stars.

Massive stars with low activity are concentrated in the cluster's core.

Abstract

In this work the results of the statistical analysis of the 215 stars with Ha emission in the IC 348 cluster are presented. The sample is completed to R<20.0.The optical radius is about 11 arcmin. The percentage of emission stars increase from bright to fainter objects and to the range of 13.0<R-AR<19.0 reaches 80%. The ratio between WTTau and CCTau objects is 64% and 36%. The 70% of X-ray sources are WTTau stars. The age of WTTau and CTTau objects are about 2*106 years. The age of the non emission stars with a mass less solar is about 2*106 years also, but non emission more massive objects are "older", the age of them is about 7*106 years. The most massive stars with a low level of activity is concentrated in a small dense central core of the cluster with a radius about 1 arcmin, and apparently, they are generated during an earlier wave of star formation in the cluster.