SIMILARITIES IN POPULATIONS OF STAR CLUSTERS
- Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States)
We compare the observed mass functions and age distributions of star clusters in six well-studied galaxies: the Milky Way, Magellanic Clouds, M83, M51, and Antennae. In combination, these distributions span wide ranges of mass and age: 10{sup 2} {approx}< M/M{sub Sun} {approx}< 10{sup 6} and 10{sup 6} {approx}< {tau}/yr {approx}< 10{sup 9}. We confirm that the distributions are well represented by power laws: dN/dM{proportional_to}M{sup {beta}} with {beta} Almost-Equal-To -1.9 and dN/d{tau}{proportional_to}{tau}{sup {gamma}} with {gamma} Almost-Equal-To -0.8. The mass and age distributions are approximately independent of each other, ruling out simple models of mass-dependent disruption. As expected, there are minor differences among the exponents at a level close to the true uncertainties, {epsilon}{sub {beta}} {approx} {epsilon}{sub {gamma}} {approx} 0.1-0.2. However, the overwhelming impression is the similarity of the mass functions and age distributions of clusters in these different galaxies, including giant and dwarf, quiescent and interacting galaxies. This is an important empirical result, justifying terms such as 'universal' or 'quasi-universal'. We provide a partial theoretical explanation for these observations in terms of physical processes operating during the formation and disruption of the clusters, including star formation and feedback, subsequent stellar mass loss, and tidal interactions with passing molecular clouds. A full explanation will require additional information about the molecular clumps and star clusters in galaxies beyond the Milky Way.
- OSTI ID:
- 22037035
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 752, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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