Estimates of the kinematic age of the $\beta$ Pictoris moving group from up-to-date data

Abstract

The kinematics of about 40 single stars belonging to the $\beta$ Pictoris moving group is studied. The age of the $\beta$ Pictoris moving group is estimated from these stars with ground-based line-of-sight velocity determinations by two methods. Both estimates are kinematic. In the first method we considered the traceback trajectories of the stars, giving an estimate of $t=13.2\pm1.4$ Myr. In the second method, by analyzing the instantaneous velocities of the stars, we show that there is an expansion of the stellar system occurring in the Galactic $xy$ plane. Based on this effect, we find the time interval elapsed from the beginning of the expansion of the $\beta$ Pictoris moving group to the present day, $t=20\pm2$ Myr.