Stellar population of the young star cluster NGC 6231

DOI

NGC 6231 is a young cluster (age ~2-7 Myr) dominating the Sco OB1 association (distance ~1.59 kpc) with ~100 O and B stars and a large pre-main-sequence stellar population. We combine a reanalysis of archival Chandra X-ray data with multiepoch near-infrared (NIR) photometry from the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) survey and published optical catalogs to obtain a catalog of 2148 probable cluster members. This catalog is 70% larger than previous censuses of probable cluster members in NGC 6231. It includes many low-mass stars detected in the NIR but not in the optical and some B stars without previously noted X-ray counterparts. In addition, we identify 295 NIR variables, about half of which are expected to be pre-main-sequence stars. With the more complete sample, we estimate a total population in the Chandra field of 5700-7500 cluster members down to 0.08 M_{sun} (assuming a universal initial mass function) with a completeness limit at 0.5 M{sun}_. A decrease in stellar X-ray luminosities is noted relative to other younger clusters. However, within the cluster, there is little variation in the distribution of X-ray luminosities for ages less than 5 Myr. The X-ray spectral hardness for B stars may be useful for distinguishing between early-B stars with X-rays generated in stellar winds and B-star systems with X-rays from a pre-main-sequence companion (>35% of B stars). A small fraction of catalog members have unusually high X-ray median energies or reddened NIR colors, which might be explained by absorption from thick or edge-on disks or being background field stars.

Cone search capability for table J/AJ/154/87/table1 (*X-Ray Sources and Properties)

Cone search capability for table J/AJ/154/87/table3 (NGC 6231 CXOVVV Probable Cluster Member Catalog)

Cone search capability for table J/AJ/154/87/table4 (VVV K_s_-band Variables)

Cone search capability for table J/AJ/154/87/table5 (Chandra X-ray properties of OB stars)

Identifier
DOI http://doi.org/10.26093/cds/vizier.51540087
Source https://dc.g-vo.org/rr/q/lp/custom/CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/154/87
Related Identifier https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/AJ/154/87
Related Identifier http://vizier.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-2?-source=J/AJ/154/87
Metadata Access http://dc.g-vo.org/rr/q/pmh/pubreg.xml?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=oai_b2find&identifier=ivo://CDS.VizieR/J/AJ/154/87
Provenance
Creator Kuhn M.A.; Medina N.; Getman K.V.; Feigelson E.D.; Gromadzki M.,Borissova J.; Kurtev R.
Publisher CDS
Publication Year 2018
Rights https://cds.unistra.fr/vizier-org/licences_vizier.html
OpenAccess true
Contact CDS support team <cds-question(at)unistra.fr>
Representation
Resource Type Dataset; AstroObjects
Discipline Astrophysics and Astronomy; Cosmology; Natural Sciences; Observational Astronomy; Physics; Stellar Astronomy