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Description
NGC 6231 is a young cluster (age ~2-7 Myr) dominating the Sco OB1 association (distance ~1.59 kpc) with ~100 O and B stars and a large pre-main-sequence stellar population. The authors combine a reanalysis of archival Chandra X-ray data with multi-epoch near-infrared (NIR) photometry from the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) survey and published optical catalogs to obtain a catalog of 2148 probable cluster members. This catalog is 70% larger than previous censuses of probable cluster members in NGC 6231. It includes many low-mass stars detected in the NIR but not in the optical and some B stars without previously noted X-ray counterparts. In addition, the authors identify 295 NIR variables, about half of which are expected to be pre-main-sequence stars. With the more complete sample, they estimate a total population in the Chandra field of 5700-7500 cluster members down to 0.08 M<sub>sun</sub> (assuming a universal initial mass function) with a completeness limit at 0.5 M<sub>sun</sub>. A decrease in stellar X-ray luminosities is noted relative to other younger clusters. However, within the cluster, there is little variation in the distribution of X-ray luminosities for ages less than 5 Myr. The X-ray spectral hardness for B stars may be useful for distinguishing between early-B stars with X-rays generated in stellar winds and B-star systems with X-rays from a pre-main-sequence companion (>35% of B stars). A small fraction of catalog members have unusually high X-ray median energies or reddened NIR colors, which might be explained by absorption from thick or edge-on disks or being background field stars. This work makes use of some basic cluster properties available from the literature. Summaries of older studies are provided by Sana et al. (2006, J/A+A/454/1047), available in <a href="/W3Browse/xmm-newton/ngc6231xmm.html">NGC6231XMM</a>, and Reipurth (2008hsf2.book.....R). Expanded catalogs of cluster members have been provided by Sung et al. (2013, J/AJ/145/37) and Damiani et al. 2016, J/A+A/596/A82 (DMS2016), available at <a href="/W3Browse/chandra/ngc6231cxo.html">NGC6231CXO</a>. Chandra X-ray observations were made using the imaging array on the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS-I; Garmire et al. 2003SPIE.4851...28G). This instrument is an array of four CCD detectors that subtends 17'x17'. The target was observed in 2005 July (Sequence 200307; PI: S. Murray) in two observations (ObsID 5372 and 6291), and the data were retrieved from the Chandra Data Archive. The NIR ZYJHK<sub>s</sub> data were obtained from the VVV survey (Minniti et al. 2010NewA...15..433M; Saito et al. 2012, Cat. II/337). VVV is a multi-epoch NIR survey that covers both the Galactic bulge and an adjacent Galactic disk region and was carried out using the 4.1 m VISTA telescope on Cerro Paranal. The VVV data were taken with the VISTA Infrared CAMera (VIRCAM; Dalton et al. 2006SPIE.6269E..0XD), a 4x4 array of Raytheon VIRGO 2048x2048 20 micron pixel detectors with a pixel scale of 0.34". In addition to the VVV photometry, public optical or infrared catalogs are available from surveys and publications. We have included VPHAS+ photometry (Drew et al. 2014, J/MNRAS/440/2036), UBVRI (Johnson-Cousins system) and H-alpha photometry from Sung et al. (2013, J/AJ/145/37), and Spitzer/IRAC photometry from the GLIMPSE survey (Benjamin et al. 2003, Cat. II/293). This table was created by the HEASARC in October 2020 based upon the <a href="https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/ftp/cats/J/AJ/154/87">CDS Catalog J/AJ/154/87</a> file table1.dat, table3.dat, and table5.dat. This is a service provided by NASA HEASARC .
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