Frogel and Stothers 1977

Frogel, J.A., and R. Stothers, 1977: The local complex of O and B stars. II: Kinematics. Astron. J., 82, 890-901.

The space velocities of O-B5 stars in the solar neighborhood are analyzed in the present paper. After a short presentation of the historical background, the stars are divided, following Paper I, into members of the Gould and galactic belts on the basis of their positions in space. This permits a homogeneous kinematical comparison to be made between the two belts. The local galactic velocity field is found to be perturbed by the presence of the Gould belt, as reflected in the derived values of the Oort constant B and of the K term for the youngest stars. If the Gould belt is expanding as a unit (which is uncertain), the expansion age must be about 7×10⁷ years. Systematical translation motion of the Gould belt with respect to the galactic belt is negligibly small in directions parallel to the galactic plane. But a coherent "seesaw" motion of the Gould belt in the direction perpendicular to the galactic plabe can explain the observed vertical veolicities of stars in this belt. It is suggested that the Gould belt had a violent origin close to the galactic plane and that each passage of this belt through the galactic plane initiated a major period of star formation. Inferred kinematical ages for most of the stars concerned are 2×10⁷ or 6×10⁷ years, which agree well with the observed frequency distributions of their nuclear ages.

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Frogel, J.A., and Stothers, R.: The local complex of O and B stars. II: Kinematics, Astron. J., 82, 890-901, 1977.

Frogel, J.A., and R. Stothers (1977), The local complex of O and B stars. II: Kinematics, Astron. J., 82, 890-901.

Frogel, J.A., and R. Stothers, 1977: The local complex of O and B stars. II: Kinematics. Astron. J., 82, 890-901.

Frogel, J.A., & Stothers, R. 1977, Astron. J., 82, 890.

Frogel JA, Stothers R. The local complex of O and B stars. II: Kinematics, Astron J 1977;82:890-901.

J.A. Frogel, R. Stothers, Astron. J. 82, 890-901 (1977).