Identifying Young Stars Far From Giant Molecular Clouds
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2005
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Swarthmore College. Dept. of Physics & Astronomy
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Thesis (B.A.)
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en_US
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Full copyright to this work is retained by the student author. It may only be used for non-commercial, research, and educational purposes. All other uses are restricted.
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Abstract
Locating young stars is critical for studies of planet formation, as planets and stars
are hypothesized to develop concurrently. Locating these young stars, known as post T
Tauris, is difficult, as they are no longer near the giant molecular clouds of their birth.
To find these stars we searched for stars that were x-ray bright with kinematics similar
to Hipparcos stars known to be young. These candidates are projected near the Lower
Centaurus Crux, but not within the boundaries of this OB association. To determine
stellar age, we combined spectral analysis of lithium, x-ray luminosity, and location on a
Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. Combining three youth indicators is more powerful than
applying each individual method alone. Using these methods of determining stellar age
resulted in a group of about seven stars out of a sample of 138 that we are confident
are post T Tauris. This multifaceted system to evaluate stellar age will prove useful in
the future , as it provides a clear method to finding good locations for further planetary research.