Multiwavelength study of the NGC 281 region

Abstract

We present a multiwavelength study of the NGC 281 complex, which contains the young cluster IC 1590 at the center, using deep wide-field optical UBVI_c photometry, slitless spectroscopy along with archival data sets in the near-infrared (NIR) and X-ray regions. The extent of IC 1590 is estimated to be ∼6.5 pc. The cluster region shows a relatively small amount of differential reddening. The majority of the identified young stellar objects (YSOs) are low-mass PMS stars having age <1–2 Myr and mass 0.5–3.5M_⊙. The slope (Γ) of the mass function for IC 1590, in the mass range 2 < M/M_⊙ ≤ 54, is found to be -1.11 ± 0.15. The slope of the K-band luminosity function (0.37 ± 0.07) is similar to the average value (∼0.4) reported for young clusters. The distribution of gas and dust obtained from the IRAS, CO, and radio maps indicates clumpy structures around the central cluster. The radial distribution of the young stellar objects, their ages, Δ(H - K) NIR-excess, and the fraction of classical T Tauri stars suggest triggered star formation at the periphery of the cluster region. However, deeper optical, NIR, and MIR observations are needed to have a conclusive view of the star-formation scenario in the region. The properties of the Class 0/I and Class II sources detected by using the Spitzer mid-infrared observations indicate that a majority of the Class II sources are X-ray emitting stars, whereas X-ray emission is absent from the Class 0/I sources. The spatial distribution of Class 0/I and Class II sources reveals the presence of three sub-clusters in the NGC 281 West region.