Kinematics of Gould Belt Based on Open Clusters

Our modeling shows that the residual velocities reach their maximum values of -4km/s for rotation (in the direction of Galactic rotation) and +4km/s for expansion at a distance from the kinematic center of 300pc. We have taken the following parameters of the Gould Belt center: R_0_=150pc and l_0_=128{deg}.

The whole structure is shown to move relative to the local standard of rest at a velocity of 10.7+/-0.7km/s in the direction l=274+/-4{deg} and b=-1+/-3{deg}. Using the derived rotation velocity, we have estimated the virial mass of the Gould Belt to be 1.5 million solar masses.