First spectroscopic identification of the main sequence in Westerlund 1

TL;DR

This study successfully identified the main sequence in Westerlund 1 using infrared spectroscopy, providing a precise age estimate of approximately 5.5 million years and establishing the cluster as a key benchmark for massive star evolution.

Contribution

First spectroscopic detection of the main sequence in Westerlund 1, enabling accurate age determination and characterization of its stellar population.

Findings

Age of Westerlund 1 is 5.5 ± 1.0 Myr.

Identified 47 new cluster members with spectral types O9-B1.

Cluster shows a single star formation episode around 5.5 Myr ago.

Abstract

Being the most massive known young stellar cluster in the Milky Way, Westerlund 1 (Wd1) constitutes an ideal benchmark for understanding the evolution of massive stars. However, the cluster age remains highly controversial (~4-10 Myr), hindering the use of Wd1 as a reference for massive star evolution. One of the main issues is high foreground extinction, which has so far prevented the detection of the main sequence. Using infrared spectroscopy we seek to detect the cluster's main sequence for the first time, to characterise the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, and to use the cluster's turn-off to obtain a robust age estimate. We obtained multi-epoch, near-infrared VLT/KMOS spectroscopic observations of Wd1 to map its population of massive stars. The spectra of ~110 members were analysed with CMFGEN models to derive stellar parameters, populate the cluster Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, and compare it with isochrones from evolutionary models. Our observations returned 47 new spectroscopically identified cluster members, with spectral types O9-B1 III-V. The cluster turn-off indicates an age of 5.5+/-1.0 Myr at a distance of 4.23+0.23-0.21 kpc, displaying a moderate degree of coevality. We demonstrate that our estimate of the age of Wd1 is robust against reasonable changes in the distance and extinction law, and the adopted rotational velocity and metallicity of the stellar isochrones. We further find that ~65% of the OB stars with multi-epoch coverage exhibit radial-velocity variability. Infrared observations of the unevolved stellar population support a single episode of star formation with an age of ~5.5 Myr, reinforcing its potential as a benchmark for massive star evolution and providing a reference sample for future binary population studies.