Age spreads in star forming regions: The lithium test in the Orion Nebula Cluster

Details Age spreads in star forming regions: The lithium test in the Orion Nebula Cluster Age spreads in star forming regions: The lithium test in the Orion Nebula Cluster

2005-05-09

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0505162v1

Astrophys.J. 626 (2005) L49-L52

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Astrophysical Journal Letters, in press

Scientific paper

10.1086/431668

We present the initial results of a study of the surface lithium abundance in a sample of low-mass members (M~0.4-1.0 Msun) of the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC) that provide an independent clock to estimate stellar ages. We report discovery of significant depletion of lithium in four stars with estimated mass of ~0.4 Msun and age ~10Myr. Comparison with the predictions of numerical and analytical models shows excellent agreement between the isochronal age and lithium depletion time scale for two objects, the first case in lithium-poor pre-main sequence stars. Our results bear on the issue of the real age spread in the ONC and hence on the overall duration of the star formation process, indicating that the stellar population did not came into existence in a single, rapid burst.

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