Star Formation Studies in Young Star Clusters

Abstract

Young Star Clusters (YSCs), primarily located in the spiral arms of the Galaxy, are key tracers of star formation on both local and galactic scales. Formed in compact embedded clusters, stars within YSCs share a common origin and age, providing ideal laboratories for testing stellar evolution theories through color-magnitude diagrams. YSCs contain statistically significant samples spanning a wide range of stellar masses, enabling robust determination of the stellar initial mass function (IMF), which is critical for understanding galaxy formation, interstellar medium properties, and unresolved stellar populations. These clusters also host massive stars whose feedback can regulate star formation in surrounding regions, offering insights into the formation and early evolution of high-mass stars. Despite theoretical and observational progress, the universality of the IMF, ongoing star formation processes, and clustered massive star formation remain open questions. This study, “Star Formation Studies in Young Star Clusters”, examines YSC structural morphology, stellar mass distribution, massive star feedback, mass segregation, environmental influences, and star formation modes, advancing our understanding of stellar and galactic evolution.