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Proper motions of OB stars in the far Carina Arm

Wright

Proper motions of OB stars in the far Carina Arm Thumbnail


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Abstract

<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title> <jats:p>In large-scale maps of the Galactic disc, the Carina Arm stands out as a clear spiral feature, hosting prominent star clusters and associations rich in massive stars. We study the proper motions of 4199 O and early B most likely in the far Carina Arm, at distances mainly in excess of 4 kpc from the Sun, within the sky region, 282° &amp;lt; l &amp;lt; 294° and -3° &amp;lt; b &amp;lt; +1° (Galactic coordinates). The sample is constructed by extending an existing blue-selected catalogue, and cross-matching with Gaia EDR3 astrometry. The observed pattern of proper motions is modulated into a saw-tooth pattern, with full amplitude approaching 1 mas yr-1, recurring roughly every 2–3 degrees of longitude (200–300 pc at the median OB-star distance of 5.8 kpc). Kinematic perturbation of underlying circular rotation is most likely present. The data also reveal a moving group containing &amp;gt;50 OB stars at l ~ 286°, b ~ -1.4° behind the main run of the far arm. An analysis of relative proper motions is performed that yields an incidence of runaway O stars of at least 10 per?cent (potentially &amp;gt;20 per?cent when full space motions become available). To map where runaways have run away from, we set up simulations for the region that assume linear trajectories and test for trajectory impact parameter in order to identify likely ejection hot spots. We find the method currently gives good results for times of flight of up to ~4 Myr. It shows convincingly that only NGC 3603 and Westerlund 2 have ejected OB stars in significant numbers. Indeed, both clusters have experienced intense spells of ejection between 0.6–0.9 and 0.5–0.8 Myr ago, respectively.</jats:p>

Acceptance Date Oct 4, 2021
Publication Date Dec 1, 2021
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Print ISSN 0035-8711
Publisher Oxford University Press
Pages 4952 - 4968
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab2905
Publisher URL https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article-abstract/508/4/4952/6388398?redirectedFrom=fulltext

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