Star formation in IC1396: Kinematics and subcluster structure revealed by Gaia

TL;DR

This study uses Gaia EDR3 data combined with multiwavelength observations to analyze the kinematics, subcluster structure, and star formation history of IC1396, identifying new members and revealing a complex, multi-episode star formation process.

Contribution

The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of IC1396 using Gaia EDR3, identifying 334 new members and revealing four subclusters with distinct proper motions and ages, indicating a complex star formation history.

Findings

Revised Gaia EDR3 distance: 925±73 pc.

Identified 334 new members in IC1396.

Detected four subclusters with different proper motions and ages.

Abstract

We investigate the star formation history of the IC1396 region by studying its kinematics and completing the population census. We use multiwavelength data, combining optical spectroscopy (to identify and classify new members), near-infrared photometry (to trace shocks, jets, and outflows and the interactions between the cluster members and the cloud), along with Gaia EDR3 to identify new potential members in the multidimensional proper motion/parallax space. The revised Gaia EDR3 distance is 925$\pm$73 pc, slightly closer than previously obtained with DR2. The Gaia data reveal four distinct subclusters in the region. These subclusters are consistent in distance but display differences in proper motion. This, with their age differences, hints towards a complex and varied star formation history. Gaia data also unveil the intermediate-mass objects that tend to evade spectroscopic and disk surveys. Our analysis allows us to identify 334 new members. We estimate an average age of $\sim$4 Myr, confirming previous age estimates. With the new members added to our study, we estimate a disk fraction of 28\%, lower than previous values, due to our method detecting mainly new, diskless intermediate-mass stars. We find age differences between the subclusters, which evidences a complex star formation history with different episodes of star formation.