We report the results from a photometric and spectroscopic survey of ∼1.4 deg² of the young open cluster IC 2602. Fourteen objects have been identified as having magnitudes, spectral types and radial velocities consistent with being probable or possible low-mass stellar members of the cluster. We have used the observed location of the lithium depletion boundary in the sequence defined by these objects to place a new and improved constraint on the cluster age, τ = 46+6−5 Myr. This new determination is larger by a factor ∼1.3–1.8 than the majority of age estimates which have been obtained using the main-sequence turn-off or pre-main-sequence isochrone techniques. It is thus consistent with the trend indicated by the results of similar studies on other young open clusters. Based on this new age, we set a lower limit on the cluster mass function over the range M = 0.054 − 0.24 M⊙, dn/dM > 46 M−1⊙. If the mass function of IC 2602 has a form similar to that of other young clusters and associations then future wide, deep surveys can expect to unearth at least a handful of brown dwarfs which could potentially serve as benchmark objects.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	techniques: photometric; brown dwarfs; stars: low-mass; open clusters and associations: individual: IC 2602
Research Division:	Physical Sciences
Research Group:	Astronomical sciences
Research Field:	Stellar astronomy and planetary systems
Objective Division:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Group:	Expanding knowledge
Objective Field:	Expanding knowledge in the physical sciences
UTAS Author:	Dobbie, PD (Dr Paul Dobbie)
ID Code:	81004
Year Published:	2010
Web of Science® Times Cited:	39
Deposited By:	Mathematics and Physics
Deposited On:	2012-11-20
Last Modified:	2013-06-27
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