Spectral types of field and cluster O-type stars

The recent catalog of spectral types of Galactic O-type stars by Maiz-Apellaniz et al. is used to study the differences between the frequencies of various subtypes of O-type stars in the field, in OB associations, and among runaway stars. At a high level of statistical significance, the data show that O stars in clusters and associations have earlier types ( and, hence, presumably larger masses or younger ages) than those that are situated in the general field. Furthermore, it is found that the distribution of spectral subtypes among runaway O stars is indistinguishable from that among field stars and differs significantly from that of the O-type stars that are situated in clusters and associations. The difference is in the sense that runaway O stars, on average, have later subtypes than do those that are still located in clusters and associations.