Stellar feedback is driving sequential star formation in the Sco-Cen association
- Author(s)
- Laura Posch, João Alves, Nuria Miret-Roig, Sebastian Ratzenböck, Josefa Großschedl, Stefan Meingast
- Abstract
Building on the recent discovery of multiple chains of clusters in the Scorpius Centaurus (Sco-Cen) OB association, we propose that stellar feedback commonly generates spatiotemporal patterns over multiple star formation epochs. We identify four cluster chains within Sco-Cen: one in Corona Australis, another in Lower Centaurus Crux, and two in Upper Scorpius. Focusing on the Corona Australis (CrA) chain of clusters as a case study, we examine the 3D space motion of its member stars using Gaia DR3 and APOGEE-2 data, revealing expansion gradients along all dimensions. Specifically, the expansion along the vertical axis, W vs. Z, exhibits a curved pattern, the first time such a non-linear velocity-position relation has been observed for stellar clusters. We propose a scenario to explain our findings wherein the observed gradient is a result of stellar feedback from the massive older clusters. This feedback continuously accelerates the molecular cloud away from its initial location towards the center of Sco-Cen, with an initial acceleration rate of approximately 0.6 km/s/Myr. A traceback analysis confirms that, about 10 Myr ago, at the time of cluster formation, the CrA star formation complex was located near massive clusters offering a natural source of feedback. Based on the velocity of the youngest unbound CrA cluster, we estimate that approximately two supernovae would have been sufficient to inject the present-day kinetic energy of the CrA molecular cloud. The head-tail morphology observed in the remaining molecular gas additionally supports the scenario of cluster chain formation through stellar feedback. The discovery of multiple spatially and temporally well-defined star formation patterns in Sco-Cen emphasizes the significant role of stellar feedback processes in star formation.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Astrophysics, Research Group Visualization and Data Analysis, Research Network Data Science
- External organisation(s)
- Universität zu Köln
- Publication date
- 07-2024
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 103003 Astronomy, 103004 Astrophysics
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/e79a18ea-ce50-452c-ac23-8c8debe0378d