Kinematics of the Local Spiral Structure Revealed by Young Stars in \emph{Gaia}~DR3

TL;DR

This study uses Gaia DR3 data to analyze the kinematics of young stars and clusters in the local spiral arms, revealing variations in peculiar motions and improving distance estimations for nearby regions.

Contribution

The paper provides new insights into the kinematic behaviors of young stars in the local spiral arms and refines distance estimates using Gaia DR3 data.

Findings

Outer spiral arm stars show larger peculiar motions.

Open clusters have smaller peculiar motions than O--B2 stars.

Sources in Perseus and Local Arms move inward and rotate slower.

Abstract

Using young open clusters and O--B2-type stars in~\emph{Gaia}~DR3, we investigate the kinematics of the local spiral structure. In general, the young sources in the outer spiral arms may present larger peculiar motions than those in the inner spiral arms. The young open clusters appear to have smaller peculiar motions than the O--B2-type stars, and the sources in both the Perseus and Local Arms may show an inward motion toward the Galactic center and rotate slower than Galactic rotation. Meanwhile, the sources in the Carina Arm may move in the opposite direction from the Sun to the Galactic center and rotate marginally faster than Galactic rotation. In addition, using young open clusters and O--B2-type stars, we have improved the distance estimations of kinematic methods for several regions near the Sun.