Constraints on star formation in NGC2264

TL;DR

This study analyzes the spatial distribution of stars in NGC2264, revealing its initial dense, substructured, and subvirial state, which has implications for star and planet formation processes.

Contribution

It provides new constraints on the initial conditions of NGC2264 using spatial distribution metrics and N-body simulations, linking initial density to star formation outcomes.

Findings

NGC2264's subclusters are neither substructured nor centrally concentrated.

Most massive stars have higher local surface densities.

Initial conditions were dense, substructured, and subvirial.

Abstract

We quantify the spatial distribution of stars for two subclusters centred around the massive/intermediate mass stars S Mon and IRS1/2 in the NGC2264 star-forming region. We find that both subclusters are have neither a substructured, nor a centrally concentrated distribution according to the Q-parameter. Neither subcluster displays mass segregation according to the $\Lambda_{\rm MSR}$ ratio, but the most massive stars in IRS1/2 have higher relative surface densities according to the $\Sigma_{\rm LDR}$ ratio. We then compare these quantities to the results of N-body simulations to constrain the initial conditions of NGC2264, which are consistent with having been dense ($\tilde{\rho} \sim 10^4$M$_\odot$pc$^{-3}$), highly substructured and subvirial. These initial conditions were also derived from a separate analysis of the runaway and walkaway stars in the region, and indicate that star-forming regions within 1kpc of the Sun likely have a broad range of initial stellar densities. In the case of NGC2264, its initial stellar density could have been high enough to cause the destruction or truncation of protoplanetary discs and fledgling planetary systems due to dynamical encounters between stars in the early stages of its evolution.