Young Stellar Clusters and H-2 Nebulosities in S233ir

We present an infrared photometric study of the star formation region associated to IRAS 05358+3543, hereafter designated S233IR. Several manifestations of star formation activity are present in S233IR: masers, molecular outflow, GMC core, YSOs, young stellar clusters and an IRAS source. The paper includes photometric J, I-I, K and H-2 (2.12 mu m) images and scanning Fabry Perot observations to study H-2 kinematics. In the 3.6' x 3.6' observed field, two distinct young stellar clusters separated by 0.5 pc are found, one being much redder than the other by Av similar to 7 mag. A collection of PMS objects and several H-2 nebulosities associated to the younger and redder NE cluster are found. Two deeply embedded jet/counter-jet structures, produced by shocked H-2 gas, are detected near the core of the molecular outflow. Possible exciting source candidates of the molecular outflow and H-2 nebula are discussed. The velocity field of H-2 gas shows that the bulk of the emission occurs within -36.9 to 2.3 km/s. Individual spectra of H-2 nebulosities show peak velocities consistent with the rest velocity of the CMC and H2O maser peak velocities. Luminosity function histograms are used to obtain a crude age estimate for cluster and field stars: less than or similar to 2 Myr for NE cluster, 3 Myr for SW cluster and 6 Myr for field (distributed population) stars; indicating at least two star formation stages and a distributed population of young stars. Finally, from PMS isochrones and NIR photometry, taking care of completeness limits, we estimate stellar masses to study the IMF. A turnover for low mass-stars is found for the SW cluster, while field stars show a Salpeter IMF.