Dr. Cathy Slesnick, Caltech

"A Wide-field Search for Intermediate-age Pre-Main Sequence Stars near
Taurus and Upper Scorpius"

Abstract:
We are conducting a wide-field (~200 square degrees) B,R,I photometric
monitoring campaign to identify new young and intermediate-age objects
towards both the Taurus (1 Myr) and Upper Scorpius (5 Myr) star-forming
regions. Candidates were chosen for follow-up optical spectroscopy to
confirm membership and youth based on placement on optical and nir
color-magnitude and color-color diagrams. Our primary goals are 1) to
identify new 3--10 Myr-old stars suitable for follow-up studies of disk,
accretion, rotation and activity properties, and 2) to asses the spatial
and mass distributions of these objects within their respective
star-forming regions.  Our work will provide insight into several aspects
of star formation, including the evolution of circumstellar material as
stars evolve past the classical T Tauri phase, the universality of the
low mass/substellar IMF, and the kinematics of stars as they are forming
in their parental molecular clouds.