The formation scenario of the Magellanic Bridge during an encounter between
the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds ∼200Myr ago, as proposed by
N-body models, would be imprinted in the chemical enrichment and kinematics
of its stars, and sites of ongoing star formation along its extension. We
present an analysis of 33 Bridge star clusters using photometry obtained with
the SOAR 4-m telescope equipped with adaptive optics for the VISCACHA survey.
We performed a membership selection and derived self-consistent ages,
metallicities, distances and reddening values via statistical isochrone
fitting, as well as tidal radii and integrated masses from structure analysis.
Two groups are clearly detected: 13 well-studied clusters older than the
Bridge, with 0.5−6.8Gyr and [Fe/H]<−0.6dex; and 15 clusters with
−0.5dex, probably formed in-situ. The old
clusters follow the overall age and metallicity gradients of the SMC, whereas
the younger ones are uniformly distributed along the Bridge. The main results
are as follows: (i) we derive ages and metallicities for the first time for 9
and 18 clusters, respectively; (ii) we detect two metallicity dips in the
age-metallicity relation of the Bridge at ∼200Myr and 1.5Gyr ago
for the first time, possibly chemical signatures of the formation of the Bridge
and Magellanic Stream; (iii) we estimate a minimum stellar mass for the
Bridge of 3−5×105M⊙; (iv) we confirm that all the young
Bridge clusters at RA<3h are metal-rich [Fe/H]∼−0.4dex.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figures + appendix. Accepted for publication in MNRA