Predicted near-infrared luminosity functions of pre-main sequence clusters
Abstract
Model time-dependent 2.2 micron luminosity functions for a coeval cluster of pre-main sequence stars without accretion are presented. The evolution covers ages in the range of 10 exp 5 - 10 exp 7 years. It is found that the differential luminosity functions exhibit maxima which shift to fainter magnitudes with time. These features have nothing to do with the form of the IMF, but are a consequence of the time-dependent mass-luminosity relation, which is stringly affected by deuterium burning. The results are compared with the observed near-infrared luminosity functions of the Trapezium and NGC 2024 embedded clusters in Orion.
- Publication:
-
Memorie della Societa Astronomica Italiana
- Pub Date:
- 1991
- Bibcode:
- 1991MmSAI..62..761Z
- Keywords:
-
- Near Infrared Radiation;
- Pre-Main Sequence Stars;
- Star Clusters;
- Stellar Evolution;
- Stellar Luminosity;
- Deuterium;
- Interstellar Extinction;
- Mass Distribution;
- Astrophysics