Sustaining Star Formation in the Galactic Star Cluster M 36?

TL;DR

This paper characterizes the Galactic open cluster M 36 using Gaia DR2 data, revealing its properties, associated molecular cloud, and potential ongoing star formation, suggesting prolonged star formation activity in the region.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of M 36's membership, distance, and its connection to a nearby dense molecular cloud with young stellar objects.

Findings

M 36 has about 200 member candidates with 8% contamination.

A dense molecular cloud with ongoing star formation is associated with M 36.

The molecular cloud's properties suggest possible prolonged star formation activity.

Abstract

We present comprehensive characterization of the Galactic open cluster M 36. Some two hundred member candidates, with an estimated contamination rate of $\sim$8%, have been identified on the basis of proper motion and parallax measured by the $Gaia$ DR2. The cluster has a proper motion grouping around ($\mu_{\alpha} \cos\delta = -$0.15 $\pm$ 0.01 mas yr$^{-1}$, and $\mu_{\delta} = -$3.35 $\pm$ 0.02 mas yr$^{-1}$), distinctly separated from the field population. Most member candidates have parallax values 0.7$-$0.9 mas, with a median value of 0.82 $\pm$ 0.07 mas (distance $\sim$1.20 $\pm$ 0.13 kpc). The angular diameter of 27$'$ $\pm$ $0\farcm4$ determined from the radial density profile then corresponds to a linear extent of 9.42 $\pm$ 0.14 pc. With an estimated age of $\sim$15 Myr, M 36 is free of nebulosity. To the south-west of the cluster, we discover a highly obscured ($A_{V}$ up to $\sim$23 mag), compact ($\sim$ $1\farcm9 \times 1\farcm2$) dense cloud, within which three young stellar objects in their infancy (ages $\lesssim$ 0.2 Myr) are identified. The molecular gas, 3.6 pc in extent, contains a total mass of (2$-$3)$\times$10$^{2}$ M$_{\odot}$, and has a uniform velocity continuity across the cloud, with a velocity range of $-$20 to $-$22 km s$^{-1}$, consistent with the radial velocities of known star members. In addition, the cloud has a derived kinematic distance marginally in agreement with that of the star cluster. If physical association between M 36 and the young stellar population can be unambiguously established, this manifests a convincing example of prolonged star formation activity spanning up to tens of Myrs in molecular clouds.