THE STAR CLUSTERS OF THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD: STRUCTURAL PARAMETERS

Journal Article · Mon Aug 15 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/142/2/48· OSTI ID:21583017

Werchan, Felicia; Zaritsky, Dennis ^[1]

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1. Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)

We present and analyze the radial luminosity profiles of a sample of 1066 stellar clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). By design, this study closely follows the compilation by Hill and Zaritsky of the structural parameters of stellar clusters in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). Both King and Elson-Fall-Freeman model profiles are fit to V-band surface brightness profiles measured from the Magellanic Cloud Photometric Survey images. We tabulate the concentration, central surface brightness, tidal radii, 90% enclosed luminosity radii (r{sub 90}), and local background luminosity density. Over two-thirds of the clusters in the sample are adequately fit by one or both of these models. One notable and systematic exception, as in the SMC, is those clusters that lack a central brightness concentration, the 'ring' clusters. While the bulk properties of the clusters are similar between the LMC and SMC populations, we find that the LMC lacks clusters that are as large, either in terms of core radii or r{sub 90}, as the largest in the SMC, perhaps a signature of larger tidal stresses in the LMC.

• OSTI ID: 21583017
• Journal Information: Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online), Journal Name: Astronomical Journal (New York, N.Y. Online) Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 142; ISSN 1538-3881
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
BRIGHTNESS
GALAXIES
IMAGES
LUMINOSITY
MAGELLANIC CLOUDS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
STAR CLUSTERS