The Canis Major star-forming region in the view of eROSITA

• Grant number: 25/03535-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: September 15, 2025
• End date: September 14, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Astronomy - Stellar Astrophysics
• Principal Investigator: Jane Cristina Gregorio-Hetem
• Grantee: Joao Victor Correa Rodrigues
• Supervisor: Beate Stelzer
• Host Institution: Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas (IAG). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/09374-0 - Characterization of the young star cluster associated with FZ CMa, BP.DD

Abstract

Studying different scenarios of star formation in OB associations is crucial for understanding the structure and evolution of the Galaxy. The Canis Major OB1/R1 Association (CMa), in particular, hosts hundreds of young stars, and evidence indicates that at least three supernovae (SN) influenced its history. For these reasons, CMa serves as an ideal laboratory for investigating how supernovae affect their surroundings and modify the evolution of young clusters. A comprehensive stellar population census is essential to probe whether star formation has been induced or inhibited in the region. Previous X-ray studies have proven to be effective in identifying Young Stellar Objects, however, X-ray detections in CMa have thus far been limited to small areas.In this work, we aim to search for X-ray sources associated with CMa using the data from eROSITA, the primary instrument on the Russian-German "Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma" (SRG) observatory. eROSITA combines high sensitivity with a large field of view to conduct an all-sky survey. All detected sources will be cross-matched with previously detected ones testing both our methodology and the capabilities of eROSITA. We will also correlate the sources found in the region with reported CMa members and candidates, as well as with their infrared and optical counterparts in public surveys. This will allow us to characterize their properties such as age, mass and circumstellar structure. Additionally, estimating their X-ray luminosities may provide clues about the connection between the supernova remnant and the origins of these sources. This project provides an opportunity to map X-ray sources across the entire CMa OB1/R1 helping to disentangle its star formation history and influence of SN on it.