Stellar Spins in the Open Cluster NGC 2516

Measuring the distribution of stellar spin axis orientations in a coeval group of stars probes the physical processes underlying the stars' formation. In this paper, we use spectrophotometric observations of the open cluster NGC 2516 to determine the degree of spin alignment among its stars. We...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Astrophysical journal Vol. 903; no. 2; pp. 99 - 112
Main Authors: Healy, Brian F., McCullough, P. R.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Philadelphia The American Astronomical Society 01.11.2020
IOP Publishing
Subjects:
Astrometry
Astrophysics
Broadband
Dimensional analysis
Inclination
Kinematics
Light curve
Mathematical analysis
Open star clusters
Polls & surveys
Rotation
Spectrophotometry
Spectroscopy
Star clusters
Star formation
Stars
Stellar rotation
Three dimensional analysis
ISSN:0004-637X, 1538-4357
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Measuring the distribution of stellar spin axis orientations in a coeval group of stars probes the physical processes underlying the stars' formation. In this paper, we use spectrophotometric observations of the open cluster NGC 2516 to determine the degree of spin alignment among its stars. We combine TESS light curves, ground-based spectroscopy from the Gaia-ESO and GALAH surveys, broadband stellar magnitudes from several surveys, and Gaia astrometry to measure 33 stellar inclinations and quantify overall cluster rotation. Our measurements suggest that stellar spins in this cluster are isotropically oriented, while allowing for the possibility that they are moderately aligned. An isotropic distribution of NGC 2516 spins would imply a star-forming environment in which turbulence dominated ordered motion, while a moderately aligned distribution would suggest a more substantial contribution from rotation. We also perform a three-dimensional analysis of the cluster's internal kinematics, finding no significant signatures of overall rotation. Stemming from this analysis, we identify evidence of cluster contraction, suggesting possible ongoing mass segregation in NGC 2516.
Bibliography:AAS26480
Stars and Stellar Physics
ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 14
ISSN:0004-637X
1538-4357
DOI:10.3847/1538-4357/abbc03