In this work we make use of gaia early data release 3 to identify and study the kinematics of young stellar populations in the Perseus-Taurus region. We select young stars (τ < 20 Myr) using...Show moreIn this work we make use of gaia early data release 3 to identify and study the kinematics of young stellar populations in the Perseus-Taurus region. We select young stars (τ < 20 Myr) using simple cuts in the (MG, BP − RP) space, and identify clustering structure using the density-base clustering algorithm OPTICS.We study the tangential velocity space of all of the identified clusters, rejecting those with scattering too large to be considered kinematically distinct. We further study the three-dimensional motion of the clusters by incorporating radial velocities of the Survey of Surveys, and determine their ages using an isochrone fitting procedure. We confirm the presence of seven young populations, four near the Taurus molecular cloud and three near the Perseus molecular cloud. We find that clusters near the Perseus molecular cloud move away from the PerTau center, consistent with formation scenarios proposed in previous literature. Our findings of the motion of clusters near the Taurus molecular cloud are not consistent with proposed formation scenarios, instead relying on complex interplay between the collision expanding superbubbles. We also note some peculiar subclustering in one of our clusters. To fully explain the detailed motion of our clusters and subclusters, further radial velocity data and simulations on colliding superbubbles are needed.Show less
In the second data release of the Gaia satellite, a split in the white dwarf HR diagram was observed. In this research, we attempted to find a cause for this bifurcation using Gaia EDR3 data. First...Show moreIn the second data release of the Gaia satellite, a split in the white dwarf HR diagram was observed. In this research, we attempted to find a cause for this bifurcation using Gaia EDR3 data. First, white dwarfs were assigned to clusters to test whether or not the split is visible in a non-mixed white dwarf population. Second, the mass distributions are computed using cooling tracks to see if there are features that could explain the split. In the white dwarf cluster HR diagrams there were not enough white dwarfs to draw conclusions about the presence of a split in non-mixed population. The mass distributions also did not reveal any significant features that could explain the split. They did show the sensitivity of the mass distributions to certain assumptions about the white dwarfs.Show less
