Specific Star Forming Regions -- Oral Presentation
The Spitzer View of Star Formation and Circumstellar Disk Evolution
in NGC 2068/2071
James Muzerolle, Steward Observatory
Erick Young (Steward Observatory), S. Thomas Megeath (CfA), Lori Allen (CfA)
I will present results of Spitzer IRAC and MIPS imaging of the
star forming region associated with the NGC 2068/2071 reflection nebulae.
The region contains moderately dense clusters of young stellar objects
of a wide range of evolutionary states. Combining IRAC 3.6-8.0 micron
and MIPS 24 and 70 micron photometry with ground-based optical and
near-infrared measurements from the SDSS and 2MASS surveys, we have
compiled spectral energy distributions for hundreds of sources. I will
compare number statistics and spatial distributions for Class 0, I, and
II objects from classifications based on the infrared SEDs. Stellar and
accretion characteristics for a representative sample of these objects
have been determined via low- and high-resolution optical spectroscopy
obtained with Hectospec/chelle. Finally, I will show evidence for a
significant population of evolved disks, some 5-10\% of all disk sources,
which suggests a wide variation in timescales for the onset of primordial
disk evolution and dissipation in comparison to other regions with older
ages.