The Dynamics of the Pleiades Cluster.
Citations Over Time
Abstract
An attempt is made by means of the virial theorem to determine more accurately than heretofore the total mass and spatial distribution of the stellar component of the Pleiades cluster Because of the present uncertainty concerning the total mass of the intracluster neutral hydrogen associated with the cluster, the analysis has been carried through for two cases. In case i Drake's observational data for the total mass and distribution of this neutral hydrogen are accepted, while in case ii it has been assumed that there is no appreciable mass of intracluster gas in the Pleiades. The estimates derived for the total stellar mass in cases i and ii are and 900 0, respectively. Both values are consistent with the assumption that the form of the mass spectrum for the less massive stars in the cluster is that for the solar neighborhood. The present evolutionary state of the cluster is examined with the help of these results Mass-to-light ratios for the cluster are determined, and the observed luminosity function is analyzed. It is shown that the latter can be understood in terms of the above results concerning the mass spectrum if the effects of gravitational contraction are taken into account for an assumed age of the cluster of roughly S X 1O years. This value is in excellent agreement with the best present estimate for the age of the cluster as determined from the evolution of its brighter stars, 6 X 1O years.
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