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Open cluster membership probability based on K-means clustering algorithm

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Abstract

In the field of galaxies images, the relative coordinate positions of each star with respect to all the other stars are adapted. Therefore the membership of star cluster will be adapted by two basic criterions, one for geometric membership and other for physical (photometric) membership. So in this paper, we presented a new method for the determination of open cluster membership based on K-means clustering algorithm. This algorithm allows us to efficiently discriminate the cluster membership from the field stars. To validate the method we applied it on NGC 188 and NGC 2266, membership stars in these clusters have been obtained. The color-magnitude diagram of the membership stars is significantly clearer and shows a well-defined main sequence and a red giant branch in NGC 188, which allows us to better constrain the cluster members and estimate their physical parameters. The membership probabilities have been calculated and compared to those obtained by the other methods. The results show that the K-means clustering algorithm can effectively select probable member stars in space without any assumption about the spatial distribution of stars in cluster or field. The similarity of our results is in a good agreement with results derived by previous works.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt

    Mohamed Abd El Aziz

  2. Faculty of Computer Science, Nahda University, Beni Suef, Egypt

    Mohamed Abd El Aziz

  3. National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics Astronomy Dept., Cairo, Egypt

    I. M. Selim & A. Essam

  4. Higher Technological Institute (HTI), Cairo, Egypt

    I. M. Selim

Authors
  1. Mohamed Abd El Aziz
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  2. I. M. Selim
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  3. A. Essam
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Correspondence to I. M. Selim.

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El Aziz, M.A., Selim, I.M. & Essam, A. Open cluster membership probability based on K-means clustering algorithm. Exp Astron 42, 49–59 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10686-016-9499-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10686-016-9499-9

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