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Uncovering three past massive star-forming complexes that shaped local interstellar structures

Presentation #111.05 in the session The Diffuse Gas in the Milky Way I: Local Constraints from 3D Dust Mapping.

Published onJun 19, 2024
Uncovering three past massive star-forming complexes that shaped local interstellar structures

The introduction of three-dimensional (3D) dust maps of our local (< 2 kpc) Galaxy have revolutionized the way nearby star-forming regions and large-scale ISM structures can be visualized. Numerous cavities observed in 3D dust maps are recognized as expanding shells and bubbles, and their formations are believed to be propelled by the cumulative energy released from multiple supernovae events hosted by star-forming complexes. The availability of Gaia-based star cluster catalogs with precisely constrained 3D positions and kinematics has opened the possibility to trace back young clusters and find their birth regions. In this contribution, we show that the majority of young star clusters (57%) within one kiloparsec of the Sun have originated from three past star-forming complexes beginning over 30 Myr ago. We estimate that these three families of clusters have collectively produced over 200 supernovae and have driven the formation and expansion of the Local Bubble and the nearest Galactic super-shell, GSH 238+00+09, both visible in modern three-dimensional dust maps. Our findings provide insights into the formation of major local interstellar structures and a basis for future research on the evolution of both stellar and interstellar environments near the Sun.

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