Internal structure and kinematics of the massive star forming region W4

  • Published : 2019.10.14

Abstract

OB associations are young stellar systems on a few tens to a hundred parsec scale, and many of them are composed of multiple substructures. It is suggested that some hints about their formation process are probably imprinted on structural features and internal kinematics. In this context, we study the massive star forming region W4 in the Cassiopeia OB6 association using the Gaia proper motion data and high-resolution optical spectra taken from Hectochelle on MMT. We probe the structure and internal kinematics of W4 to trance its formation process. Several nonmembers with different kinematic properties are excluded in our sample. Some of them may be young stellar population spread over a large area of the Perseus spiral arm given their wide spatial distribution over 50 parsecs. W4 is composed of an central open cluster (IC 1805) and an extended stellar component. Their global expansion patterns are detected in stellar proper motion. In this presentation, we will further discuss the formation process of W4, based on the velocity dispersions of stars comprising these substructure.

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