Probing the Large Magellanic Cloud's recent chemical enrichment history through its star clusters

We present Washington system colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) for 17 practically unstudied star clusters located in the bar as well as in the inner disc and outer regions of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Cluster sizes were estimated from star counts distributed throughout the entire observed fields. Based on the best fits of theoretical isochrones to the cleaned $(C-T_1,T_1)$ CMDs, as well as on the $\delta T_1$ parameter and the standard giant branch method, we derive ages and metallicities for the cluster sample. Four objects are found to be intermediate-age clusters (1.8-2.5 Gyr), with [Fe/H] ranging from -0.66 to -0.84. With the exception of SL263, a very young cluster ($\sim$ 16 Myr), the remaining 12 objects are aged between 0.32 and 0.89 Gyr, with their [Fe/H] values ranging from -0.19 to -0.50. We combined our results with those for other 231 clusters studied in a similar way using the Washington system. The resulting age-metallicity relationship shows a significant dispersion in metallicities, whatever age is considered. Although there is a clear tendency for the younger clusters to be more metal-rich than the intermediate ones, we believe that none of the chemical evolution models currently available in the literature reasonably well represents the recent chemical enrichment processes in the LMC clusters. The present sample of 17 clusters is part of our ongoing project of generating a database of LMC clusters homogeneously studied using the Washington photometric system and applying the same analysis procedureComment: 11 pages, 20 figures, 3 tables, Accepted for publication in MNRA

A sample of relatively unstudied star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud: fundamental parameters determined from Washington photometry

To enlarge our growing sample of well-studied star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), we present CCD Washington CT1 photometry to T1 ~ 23 in the fields of twenty-three mostly unstudied clusters located in the inner disc and outer regions of the LMC. We estimated cluster radii from star counts. Using the cluster Washington (T1,C-T1) colour-magnitude diagrams, statistically cleaned from field star contamination, we derived cluster ages and metallicities from a comparison with theoretical isochrones of the Padova group. Whenever possible, we also derived ages using delta_T1 - the magnitude difference between the red giant clump and the main sequence turn off - and estimated metallicities from the standard giant branch procedure. We enlarged our sample by adding clusters with published ages and metallicities determined on a similar scale by applying the same methods. We examined relationships between their positions in the LMC, ages and metallicities. We find that the two methods for age and metallicity determination agree well with each other. Fourteen clusters are found to be intermediate-age clusters (1-2 Gyr), with [Fe/H] values ranging from -0.4 to -0.7. The remaining nine clusters turn out to be younger than 1 Gyr, with metallicities between 0.0 and -0.4. Our 23 clusters represent an increase of ~ 30% in the current total amount number of well-studied LMC clusters using Washington photometry. In agreement with previous studies, we find no evidence for a metallicity gradient. We also find that the younger clusters were formed closer to the LMC centre than the older ones.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures. A&A, in pres

Multicolour-metallicity Relations from Globular Clusters in NGC 4486 (M87)

We present Gemini griz photometry for 521 globular cluster (GC) candidates in a 5.5 x 5.5 arcmin field centered 3.8 arcmin to the south and 0.9 arcmin to the west of the center of the giant elliptical galaxy NGC 4486. All these objects have previously published (C-T1) photometry. We also present new (C-T1) photometry for 338 globulars, within 1.7 arcmin in galactocentric radius, which have (g-z) colors in the photometric system adopted by the Virgo Cluster Survey of the Advanced Camera for Surveys of the Hubble Space Telescope. These photometric data are used to define a self-consistent multicolor grid (avoiding polynomial fits) and preliminary calibrated in terms of two chemical abundance scales. The resulting multicolor color-chemical abundance relations are used to test GC chemical abundance distributions. This is accomplished by modelling the ten GC color histograms that can be defined in terms of the Cgriz bands. Our results suggest that the best fit to the GC observed color histograms is consistent with a genuinely bimodal chemical abundance distribution NGC(Z). On the other side, each (blue and red) GC subpopulation follows a distinct color-color relation.Comment: 12 pages, 21 figures, 8 tables. Accepted to be published in MNRA

Dynamic fine-tuning of CAR-T cell therapy

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Tidal dwarfs in the M81 group: the second generation?

We derive quantitative star formation histories of the four suspected tidal dwarf galaxies in the M81 group, HolmbergIX, BK3N, Arp-loop (A0952+69), and Garland, using Hubble Space Telescope/Wide Field Planetary Camera2 images in F606W and F814W obtained as part of a Snapshot survey of dwarf galaxies in the Local Universe. We consider the spatial distribution and ages of resolved stellar populations in these dwarf irregular galaxies. We use synthetic color-magnitude diagrams to derive the ages of the major star formation episodes, star formation rates, and approximate metallicity ranges. All the galaxies show evidence of continuous star formation between about 20 and 200 Myr ago with star formation rates in the range 7.5*10^(-3)- 7.6*10^(-4) M(sun)/yr. The metallicity of the detected stars spans a wide range, and have lower than solar abundance. A possible scenario is that all four dwarf galaxies were formed from material in the metal-poor outer part of the giant spiral galaxy M81 after the tidal interaction between M81, M82, and NGC3077 about 200 Myr ago. While we do not directly detect pronounced old stellar populations, the photometric limits of our data are such that the presence of such a population is not entirely ruled out

Exploring Halo Substructure with Giant Stars III: First Results from the Grid Giant Star Survey and Discovery of a Possible Nearby Sagittarius Tidal Structure in Virgo

We describe first results of a spectroscopic probe of selected fields from the Grid Giant Star Survey. Multifiber spectroscopy of several hundred stars in a strip of eleven fields along delta approximately -17^{circ}, in the range 12 <~ alpha <~ 17 hours, reveals a group of 8 giants that have kinematical characteristics differing from the main field population, but that as a group maintain coherent, smoothly varying distances and radial velocities with position across the fields. Moreover, these stars have roughly the same abundance, according to their MgH+Mgb absorption line strengths. Photometric parallaxes place these stars in a semi-loop structure, arcing in a contiguous distribution between 5.7 and 7.9 kpc from the Galactic center. The spatial, kinematical, and abundance coherence of these stars suggests that they are part of a diffuse stream of tidal debris, and one roughly consistent with a wrapped, leading tidal arm of the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy.Comment: 8 pages including 4 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ