Publications
of the
MPIfR
Optical & Infrared
Interferometry Group
T. Preibisch, E. Guenther and H.
Zinnecker:
Triggered star formation in the Sco OB2
Association
Proceedings of
Modes of Star Formation and the Origin of Field
Populations
E.K. Grebel & W. Brandner (eds.),
ASP Conference Series, Vol. 285, p. 97-104 (2002)
Abstract.
We explore the star formation history of the Upper Scorpius OB
association, the youngest part of large Sco OB2 association. After an
initial wide field (160
square-degree) survey for solar-mass pre-main sequence (PMS) stars in
Upper Scorpius, we have performed a deeper survey for low-mass (~ 0.1 -
0.7
M_sun) PMS stars, covering a 6 square-degree area. Our current PMS
sample contains nearly 200 stars. In a detailed analysis of the
locations of these stars in
the HR diagram, taking proper account of the uncertainties and the
effects of unresolved binaries, we find a mean stellar age of about 5
Myr and no evidence for a
significant age dispersion among these stars. This implies that the
star formation history of the Upper Scorpius association was dominated
by a short star-burst,
which started about 5 Myr ago and ended probably not more than one or
two Myr later. This result strongly suggests that the shock wave of a
supernova
explosion in the nearby Upper Centaurus-Lupus association, that crossed
Upper Scorpius just about 5 Myr ago, triggered the star-burst in Upper
Scorpius.
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