A Catalog of New Spectroscopically Confirmed Massive OB Stars in Carina

TL;DR

This study spectroscopically confirms 23 new OB stars in the Carina Nebula, enhancing understanding of its massive star population despite challenges from interstellar extinction.

Contribution

It provides the first large spectroscopic survey confirming new OB stars in Carina and reclassifies known stars, revealing binary systems and spatial distribution.

Findings

23 new OB stars confirmed in Carina

Reclassification of known OB stars including 9 SB2s

Spatial distribution analysis of new OB stars

Abstract

The Carina star-forming region is one of the largest in the Galaxy, and its massive star population is still being unveiled. The large number of stars combined with high, and highly variable, interstellar extinction makes it inherently difficult to find OB stars in this type of young region. We present the results of a spectroscopic campaign to study the massive star population of the Carina Nebula, with the primary goal to confirm or reject previously identified Carina OB star candidates. A total of 141 known O- and B-type stars and 94 candidates were observed, of which 73 candidates had a high enough signal-to-noise ratio to classify. We find 23 new OB stars within the Carina Nebula, a 32% confirmation rate. One of the new OB stars has blended spectra and is suspected to be a double-lined spectroscopic binary (SB2). We also reclassify the spectral types of the known OB stars and discover nine new SB2s among this population. Finally, we discuss the spatial distribution of these new OB stars relative to known structures in the Carina NSebula.