2009MNRAS.395.1449A

Query : 2009MNRAS.395.1449A

2009MNRAS.395.1449A - Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc., 395, 1449-1454 (2009/May-3)

Using the minimum spanning tree to trace mass segregation.

ALLISON R.J., GOODWIN S.P., PARKER R.J., PORTEGIES ZWART S.F., DE GRIJS R. and KOUWENHOVEN M.B.N.

Abstract (from CDS):

We present a new method to detect and quantify mass segregation in star clusters. It compares the minimum spanning tree (MST) of massive stars with that of random stars. If mass segregation is present, the MST length of the most massive stars will be shorter than that of random stars. This difference can be quantified (with an associated significance) to measure the degree of mass segregation. We test the method on simulated clusters in both 2D and 3D and show that the method works as expected.

We apply the method to the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC) and show that the method is able to detect the mass segregation in the Trapezium with a `mass segregation ratio (MSR)' ΛMSR= 8.0±3.5 (where ΛMSR= 1 is no mass segregation) down to 16M☉, and also that the ONC is mass segregated at a lower level (∼2.0±0.5) down to 5M☉. Below 5M☉ we find no evidence for any further mass segregation in the ONC.


Abstract Copyright: © 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 RAS

Journal keyword(s): methods: data analysis

Simbad objects: 2

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Number of rows : 2
N Identifier Otype ICRS (J2000)
RA 		ICRS (J2000)
DEC 		Mag U Mag B Mag V Mag R Mag I Sp type #ref
1850 - 2026 		#notes
1 NAME Orion Nebula Cluster OpC 05 35.0 -05 29           ~ 2514 0
2 NAME Ori Trapezium OpC 05 35 16.5 -05 23 14           ~ 1708 1

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