Identification of new low-mass members of the Alpha Persei open cluster by ROSAT. I.

Following the work of Randich et al. (1996) involving a ROSAT raster scan survey of the alpha Persei open cluster, we present here the results of a photometric/spectroscopic program examining the possible optical counterparts to a group of 73 X-ray sources in the raster survey which were not matched to catalogued stars. Of the 73 sources investigated, ~ 40 have an optical counterpart with photometry acceptable for cluster membership and ~ 20 of these also have radial velocities consistent with membership. We discuss the X-ray properties of these potential new members and why they may not have been identified in earlier membership surveys of this cluster.