769 research outputs found
Ages and metallicities of star clusters: new calibrations and diagnostic diagrams from visible integrated spectra
We present homogeneous scales of ages and metallicities for star clusters
from very young objects, through intermediate-age ones up to the oldest known
clusters. All the selected clusters have integrated spectra in the visible
range, as well as reliable determinations of their ages and metallicities. From
these spectra equivalent widths (EWs) of KCaII, Gband(CH) and MgI metallic, and
Hdelta, Hgamma and Hbeta Balmer lines have been measured homogeneously. The
analysis of these EWs shows that the EW sums of the metallic and Balmer H
lines, separately, are good indicators of cluster age for objects younger than
10 Gyr, and that the former is also sensitive to cluster metallicity for ages
greater than 10 Gyr. We propose an iterative procedure for estimating cluster
ages by employing two new diagnostic diagrams and age calibrations based on the
above EW sums. For clusters older than 10 Gyr, we also provide a calibration to
derive their overall metal contents.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, accepted by A&
Mass distribution and structural parameters of Small Magellanic Cloud star clusters
In this work, we estimate, for the first time, the total masses and mass function (MF) slopes of a sample of 29 young and intermediate-age Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) clusters from CCD Washington photometry. We also derive age, interstellar reddening and structural parameters for most of the studied clusters by employing a statistical method to remove the unavoidable field star contamination. Only these 29 clusters out of 68 originally analysed cluster candidates present stellar overdensities and coherent distribution in their colour–magnitude diagrams compatible with the existence of a genuine star cluster. We employed simple stellar population models to derive general equations for estimating the cluster mass based only on its age and integrated light in the B, V, I, C and T1 filter. These equations were tested against mass values computed from luminosity functions, showing an excellent agreement. The sample contains clusters with ages between 60 Myr and 3 Gyr and masses between 300 and 3000 M ⊙ distributed between ∼0_{.}^{\circ}5 and ∼2° from the SMC optical centre. We determined MF slopes for 24 clusters, of which 19 have slopes compatible with that of Kroupa's initial mass function (α = 2.3 ± 0.7), considering the uncertainties. The remaining clusters – H86-188, H86-190, K47, K63 and NGC 242 – showed flatter MFs. Additionally, only clusters with masses lower than ∼1000 M ⊙ and flatter MF were found within ∼0$ $_{.}^{\circ}6 from the SMC rotational centre.Fil: Maia, F.F.S.. Universidade Federal do Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Piatti, Andres Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientÃficas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Observatorio Astronomico de Cordoba; ArgentinaFil: Santos Jr., João F. C.. Universidade Federal do Minas Gerais; Brasi
BS196: an old star cluster far from the SMC main body
We present B and V photometry of the outlying SMC star cluster BS196 with the
4.1-m SOAR telescope. The photometry is deep (to V~25) showing ~3 mag below the
cluster turnoff point (TO) at Mv=2.5 (1.03 Msun). The cluster is located at the
SMC distance. The CMD and isochrone fittings provide a cluster age of 5.0+-0.5
Gyr, indicating that this is one of the 12 oldest clusters so far detected in
the SMC. The estimated metallicity is [Fe/H]=-1.68+-0.10. The structural
analysis gives by means of King profile fittings a core radius Rc=8.7+-1.1
arcsec (2.66+-0.14 pc) and a tidal radius Rt=69.4+-1.7 arcsec (21.2+-1.2 pc).
BS196 is rather loose with a concentration parameter c=0.90. With
Mv=-1.89+-0.39, BS196 belongs to the class of intrinsically fainter SMC
clusters, as compared to the well-known populous ones, which starts to be
explored.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figures; accepted by MNRA
Mass distribution and structural parameters of Small Magellanic Cloud star clusters
In this work we estimate, for the first time, the total masses and mass
function slopes of a sample of 29 young and intermediate-age SMC clusters from
CCD Washington photometry. We also derive age, interstellar reddening and
structural parameters for most of the studied clusters by employing a
statistical method to remove the unavoidable field star contamination. Only
these 29 clusters out of 68 originally analysed cluster candidates present
stellar overdensities and coherent distribution in their colour-magnitude
diagrams compatible with the existence of a genuine star cluster. We employed
simple stellar population models to derive general equations for estimating the
cluster mass based only on its age and integrated light in the B, V, I, C and
T1 filter. These equations were tested against mass values computed from
luminosity functions, showing an excellent agreement. The sample contains
clusters with ages between 60 Myr and 3 Gyr and masses between 300 and 3000 Mo
distributed between ~0.5 deg. and ~2 deg. from the SMC optical centre. We
determined mass function slopes for 24 clusters, of which 19 have slopes
compatible with that of Kroupa IMF (2.3 +/- 0.7), considering the
uncertainties. The remaining clusters - H86-188, H86-190, K47, K63 and NGC242 -
showed flatter MFs. Additionally, only clusters with masses lower than ~1000 Mo
and flatter MF were found within ~0.6 deg. from the SMC rotational centre.Comment: 12 pages, 19 figures. Includes another 29 full-page figures of
supplementary material. Accepted for publication in the MNRA
Gemini/GMOS photometry of intermediate-age star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud
We present Gemini South GMOS g,i photometry of 14 intermediate-age Large
Magellanic Cloud (LMC) star clusters, namely: NGC 2155, 2161, 2162, 2173, 2203,
2209, 2213, 2231, 2249, Hodge 6, SL 244, 505, 674, and 769, as part of a
continuing project to investigate the extended Main Sequence Turnoff (EMSTO)
phenomenon. Extensive artificial star tests were made over the observed field
of view. These tests reveal the observed behaviour of photometric errors with
magnitude and crowding. The cluster stellar density radial profiles were traced
from star counts over the extent of the observed field. We adopt clus- ter
radii and build colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) with cluster features clearly
identified. We used the cluster (g,g-i) CMDs to estimate ages from the matching
of theoretical isochrones. The studied LMC clusters are confirmed to be
intermediate-age clusters, which range in age 9.10 < log(t) < 9.60. NGC 2162
and NGC 2249 look like new EMSTO candidates, in addition to NGC 2209, on the
basis of having dual red clumps.Comment: MNRAS, accepte
Spectral evolution of star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud: I. Blue concentrated clusters in the age range 40-300 Myr
Integrated spectroscopy of a sample of 17 blue concentrated Large Magellanic
Cloud (LMC) clusters is presented and its spectral evolution studied. The
spectra span the range ~3600-6800A with a resolution of ~14A FWHM, being used
to determine cluster ages and, in connection with their spatial distribution,
to explore the LMC structure and cluster formation history. Cluster reddening
values were estimated by interpolation, using the available extinction maps. We
used two methods to derive cluster ages: (i) template matching, in which line
strengths and continuum distribution of the cluster spectra were compared and
matched to those of template clusters with known astrophysical properties, and
(ii) equivalent width (EW) method, in which new age/metallicity calibrations
were used together with diagnostic diagrams involving the sum of EWs of
selected spectral lines (KCaII, G band (CH), MgI, Hdelta, Hgamma and Hbeta).
The derived cluster ages range from 40Myr (NGC2130 and SL237) to 300Myr
(NGC1932 and SL709), a good agreement between the results of the two methods
being obtained. Combining the present sample with additional ones indicates
that cluster deprojected distances from the LMC center are related to age in
the sense that inner clusters tend to be younger. Spectral libraries of star
clusters are useful datasets for spectral classifications and extraction of
parameter information for target star clusters and galaxies. The present
cluster sample complements previous ones, in an effort to gather a spectral
library with several clusters per age bin.Comment: 13 pages, 22 figures. Accepted for publication in A&
A Search for Old Star Clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud
We report the first results of a color-magnitude diagram survey of 25
candidate old LMC clusters. For almost all of the sample, it was possible to
reach the turnoff region, and in many clusters we have several magnitudes of
the main sequence. Age estimates based on the magnitude difference
between the giant branch clump and the turnoff revealed that no new old
clusters were found. The candidates turned out to be of intermediate age (1-3
Gyr) We show that the apparently old ages as inferred from integrated UBV
colors can be explained by a combination of stochastic effects produced by
bright stars and by photometric errors for faint clusters lying in crowded
fields. The relatively metal poor candidates from the CaII triplet spectroscopy
also turned out to be of intermediate age. This, combined with the fact that
they lie far out in the disk, yields interesting constraints regarding the
formation and evolution of the LMC disk. We also study the age distribution of
intermediate age and old clusters This homogeneous set of accurate relative
ages allows us to make an improved study of the history of cluster
formation/destruction for ages Gyr. We confirm previous indications that
there was apparently no cluster formation in the LMC during the period from 3-8
Gyr ago, and that there was a pronounced epoch of cluster formation beginning 3
Gyrs ago that peaked at about 1.5 Gyrs ago. Our results suggest that there are
few, if any, genuine old clusters in the LMC left to be found.Comment: LaTeX, to be published in Nov. 1997 Astronomical Journa
Multi-Valley Superconductivity In Ion-Gated MoS2 Layers
Layers of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) combine the enhanced
effects of correlations associated with the two-dimensional limit with
electrostatic control over their phase transitions by means of an electric
field. Several semiconducting TMDs, such as MoS, develop superconductivity
(SC) at their surface when doped with an electrostatic field, but the mechanism
is still debated. It is often assumed that Cooper pairs reside only in the two
electron pockets at the K/K' points of the Brillouin Zone. However,
experimental and theoretical results suggest that a multi-valley Fermi surface
(FS) is associated with the SC state, involving 6 electron pockets at the Q/Q'
points. Here, we perform low-temperature transport measurements in ion-gated
MoS flakes. We show that a fully multi-valley FS is associated with the SC
onset. The Q/Q' valleys fill for dopingcm, and the
SC transition does not appear until the Fermi level crosses both spin-orbit
split sub-bands Q and Q. The SC state is associated with the FS
connectivity and promoted by a Lifshitz transition due to the simultaneous
population of multiple electron pockets. This FS topology will serve as a
guideline in the quest for new superconductors.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figure
Washington photometry of five star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud
Aims. We present CCD photometry in the Washington system C and T1 passbands down to T1 ∼ 22.5 in the fields of NGC 1697, SL 133, NGC 1997, SL 663, and OHSC 28, five mostly unstudied star clusters in the LMC. Methods. Cluster radii were estimated from star counts in appropriate-sized boxes distributed throughout the entire observed fields. We perform a detailed analysis of the field star contamination and derive cluster colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs). Based on the
best fits of isochrones computed by the Padova group to the (T1, C − T1) CMDs, the δ(T1) index and the Standard Giant Branch procedure, we derive metallicities and ages for the five clusters. We combine our sample with clusters with ages and metallicities on a similar scale and examine relationships between position in the LMC, age and metallicity. Results. With the exception of NGC 1697 (age = 0.7 Gyr, [Fe/H] = 0.0 dex), the remaining four clusters are of intermediate-age (from 2.2 to 3.0 Gyr) and relatively metal-poor ([Fe/H] = –0.7 dex). The cluster and field age-metallicty realtions show evidence for a metallicity offset but do overlap, particularly on the upper envelope side of the cluster age-metallicity relation. Conclusions. We confirm previous results that clusters younger than ∼1 Gyr were formed during an outside-in process; this occurred after a burst of cluster formation that took place mainly in the outer disk and peaked at ∼2 Gyr ago.Fil: Piatti, Andres Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciónes CientÃficas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de AstronomÃa y FÃsica del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de AstronomÃa y FÃsica del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Geisler, D.. Universidad de Concepción; ChileFil: Sarajedini, A.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Gallart, C.. Instituto de AstrofÃsica de Canarias,; Españ
Open Cluster Characterization via Cross-Correlation with Spectral Library
We present a characterization method based on spectral cross-correlation to
obtain the physical parameters of the controversial stellar aggregate
ESO442-SC04. The data used was obtained with GMOS at Gemini-South telescope
including 17 stars in the central region of the ob ject and 6 standard-stars.
FXCOR was used in an iterative process to obtain self-consistent radial
velocities for the standard-stars and averaged radial velocities for the
science spectra. Spectral types, effective temperature, suface gravity and
metallicities parameters were determined using FXCOR to correlate cluster
spectra with ELODIE spectral library and selecting the best correlation matches
using the Tonry and Davis Ratio (TDR). Analysis of the results suggests that
the stars in ESO442-SC04 are not bound and therefore they do not constitute a
physical system.Comment: 4-page paper from IAU symposium 266. Contains 3 eps figures and IAU
document class file 'iau.cls
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