bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The VLT–FLAMES Tarantula Survey
Authors: Evans C. J. , Bastian N. , Beletsky Y. , Brott I. , Cantiello M. , Clark J. S. , Crowther P. A. , de Koter A. , de Mink S. E. , Dufton P. L. , Dunstall P. , Gieles M. , Gräfener G. , Hénault-Brunet V. , Herrero A. , Howarth I. D. , Langer N. , Lennon D. J. , Apellániz J. Maíz , Markova N. , Najarro F. , Puls J. , Sana H. , Simón-Díaz S. , Smartt S. J. , Stroud V. E. , Taylor W. D. , Trundle C. , van Loon J. Th. , Vink J. S. , Walborn N. R.
Published: January 2010

The Tarantula Survey is an ambitious ESO Large Programme that has obtained multi-epoch spectroscopy of over 1000 massive stars in the 30 Doradus region in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Here, we introduce the scientific motivations of the survey and give an overview of the observational sample. Ultimately, quantitative analysis of every star, paying particular attention to the effects of rotational mixing and binarity, will be used to address fundamental questions in both stellar and cluster evolution.
Stellar feedback and triggered star formation
Authors: Palouš Jan , Wünsch Richard , Dale James E. , Sidorin Vojtěch , Whitworth Anthony
Published: January 2010

Young, massive stars influence their ambient medium through winds and radiation. The outcome of this feedback depends on the number of massive stars in a star cluster and on the density of the ambient medium. This contribution is based on a comparison of observations to the results of numerical simulations. We discuss the gravitational fragmentation of feedback-driven shells expanding from young stellar clusters. The thin-shell approximation is compared to 3D hydrodynamical simulations with smoothed-particle hydrodynamics and adaptive-mesh refinement codes. We explore the influence of external pressure and propose a thick-shell dispersion relation, where the pressure of the external medium is included. The mass spectrum of the shell fragments is constructed and we speculate about the origin of the deficit of low-mass objects.
Nuclear star clusters
Authors: Böker Torsten
Published: January 2010

The centers of most galaxies in the local Universe are occupied by compact, barely resolved sources. Based on their structural properties, position in the Fundamental Plane, and integrated spectra, these sources clearly have a stellar origin. They are therefore called ‘nuclear star clusters’ (NCs) or ‘stellar nuclei’. NCs are found in galaxies of all Hubble types, suggesting that their formation is intricately linked to galaxy evolution. Here, I review some recent studies of NCs, describe ideas for their formation and subsequent growth, and touch on their possible evolutionary connection with both supermassive black holes and globular clusters.
Star cluster disruption
Authors: Gieles Mark
Published: January 2010

Star clusters are often used as tracers of major star-formation events in external galaxies as they can be studied out to much greater distances than individual stars. It is vital to understand their evolution if they are used to derive, for example, the star-formation history of their host galaxy. More specifically, we want to know how cluster lifetimes depend on their environment and on structural properties such as mass and radius. This review presents a theoretical overview of the early evolution of star clusters and the consequent long-term survival chances. It is suggested that clusters forming with initial densities of ≳104 M⊙ pc−3 survive the gas expulsion, or ‘infant mortality,’ phase. At ~10Myr, they are bound and have densities of ~103±1 M⊙ pc−3. After this time, they are stable against expansion through stellar evolution, encounters with giant molecular clouds and will most likely survive for another Hubble time if they are located in a moderate tidal field. Clusters with lower initial densities (≲100 M⊙ pc−3) will disperse into the field within a few 10s of Myrs. Some discussion is given on how extragalactic star cluster populations, and especially their age distributions, can be used to gain insight into disruption.
The distance and space distribution of bulge globular clusters
Authors: Ortolani Sergio , Barbuy Beatriz , Bica Eduardo
Published: January 2010

We present the distribution of Galactic bulge globular clusters and a method based on simultaneous detection of field and cluster horizontal branches to derive the cluster distances. This method has the advantage of being independent of both reddening and the reddening law, RV = AV/E(B−V). The vast majority of clusters projected in the direction of the Galactic bulge are located on the near side of the Galactic Center. Deviations from the reddening law do not seem to be responsible for this peculiarity. We need to introduce a peculiar, steep dependence of the absolute horizontal-branch magnitude with metallicity in the metal-rich regime if we want to reproduce a symmetrical distribution. Instead, if the observed distribution is correct, we expect a rather large number of bulge globular clusters are still to be discovered.
The range of validity of cluster masses and ages derived from broad-band photometry
Authors: Apellániz J. Maíz
Published: January 2010

I analyze the stochastic effects introduced by sampling the stellar initial mass function (SIMF) in the derivation of the individual masses and the cluster mass function (CMF) from broad-band visible/near-infrared unresolved photometry. The classical method of using unweighted U BV photometry to simultaneously establish ages and extinctions of stellar clusters is found to be unreliable for clusters older than ≈30 Myr, even for relatively large cluster masses. On the other hand, augmenting the filter set to include longer-wavelength filters and using weights for each filter increases the range of masses and ages that can be measured accurately with unresolved photometry. Nevertheless, a relatively large range of masses and ages is found to be dominated by SIMF sampling effects that render the observed masses useless, even when using U BV RI JHK photometry.
Globular cluster abundances: the imprint of first-generation massive stars
Authors: Charbonnel Corinne
Published: January 2010

Galactic globular cluster (GC) stars exhibit abundance patterns that are not shared by their field counterparts, namely the well-documented O–Na, C–N and Mg–Al anticorrelations. Recent observations provide compelling evidence that these abundance anomalies were already present in the intracluster gas from which the presently observed stars formed. The current explanation is that the gas was polluted very early in the history of the GC by material processed through H burning at high temperatures and then lost by stars more massive than the long-lived stars we still observe today. However the ‘polluters’ have not yet been unambiguously identified. Most studies have focused on asymptotic giant brach stars, but rotating massive stars present an interesting alternative. Here, we critically analyse the pros and cons of both potential stellar polluters. We discuss the constraints that the observational data provide on stellar nucleosynthesis and hydrodynamics, as well as on the formation and early evolution of very massive star clusters.
Globular cluster abundances and what they can tell us about galaxy formation
Authors: Cohen Judith G.
Published: January 2010

We review the properties of globular clusters (GCs) which make them useful for studying the Galactic halo, Galactic chemical evolution and the early stages of the formation of the Milky Way. We review the evidence that GCs have a chemical inventory similar to those of halo field stars. We discuss the abundance ratios for dSph galaxies and show that it is possible to have formed at least part of the Galactic-halo field stellar population by dissolving GCs and/or accreting dSph galaxies, but only if this occurred at an early stage in the formation of the Galaxy. We review the constraints on halo-formation timescales deduced from the low magnesium isotopic ratios in metal-poor halo field dwarfs, which indicate that asymptotic giant-branch (AGB) stars did not have time to contribute significantly, while M71 contains two populations, one without and also one with a substantial AGB contribution. We review the limited evidence for GCs with a second population showing additional contributions from Type II supernovae, currently confined to ω Cen, M54 and M22, all of which may have been the nuclei or central regions of accreted galaxies. We check our own data for additional similar GCs and find preliminary indications that NGC 2419, a massive GC far in the outer Galactic halo, may also belong to this group.
Massive binaries and the enrichment of the interstellar medium in globular clusters
Authors: de Mink S. E. , Pols O. R. , Langer N. , Izzard R. G.
Published: January 2010

Abundance anomalies observed in globular cluster stars indicate pollution with material processed by hydrogen burning. Two main sources have been suggested: asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and massive stars rotating near the break-up limit (spin stars). We discuss the idea that massive binaries may provide an interesting alternative source of processed material. We discuss observational evidence for mass shedding from interacting binaries. In contrast to the fast, radiatively driven winds of massive stars, this material is typically ejected with low velocity. We expect that it remains inside the potential well of a globular cluster and becomes available for the formation or pollution of a second generation of stars. We estimate that the amount of processed low-velocity material that can be ejected by massive binaries is larger than the contribution of the two previously suggested sources combined.
Insights into star cluster formation from λ ≳ 1μm
Authors: Indebetouw Rémy , Chen Rosie , Brogan Crystal , Whitney Barbara , Robitaille Thomas , Looney Leslie
Published: January 2010

We would like to know how molecular clouds turn into stellar clusters, and with what efficiency massive stars form in those clusters, since massive stars are the main agents responsible for evolution of the interstellar medium of galaxies, and their subsequent star-formation history. The imprint of ‘precluster’ molecular cloud conditions can be observed, but only in the least evolved, most embedded clusters, necessarily at wavelengths that can penetrate more than 10 visual magnitudes of extinction. Mid-infrared photometric imaging, most recently and extensively from Spitzer, can be used to select young stellar objects in clustered star-formation environments in our Galaxy and nearby galaxies. Relatively sophisticated methods have been developed, but the fundamental principle remains the selection of sources that have excess infrared emission from circumstellar dust. By fitting radiative-transfer models to a source's spectral-energy distribution between ~1 and ~100μm, we constrain the circumstellar dust distribution and evolutionary state. We can explore many things with this protostellar distribution in mass/luminosity and time/evolutionary state. For example we do not see strong evidence for primordial mass segregation in initial studies. We find evidence of primordial hierarchical substructure, greater clustering at the youngest stages, and even imprints of the pre-stellar Jeans scale. We see correlation of the youngest sources with dense molecular clumps and constrain the timescales for chemical processing and dispersal of those clumps. We have only begun to mine the wealth of existing Spitzer, emerging Herschel and soon ALMA data.
HST's hunt for intermediate-mass black holes in star clusters
Authors: Chanamé Julio , Bruursema Justice , Chandar Rupali , Anderson Jay , van der Marel Roeland , Ford Holland
Published: January 2010

Establishing or ruling out, either through solid mass measurements or upper limits, the presence of intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs; with masses of 102 − 105 M⊙) at the centers of star clusters would profoundly impact our understanding of problems ranging from the formation and long-term dynamical evolution of stellar systems, to the nature of the seeds and the growth mechanisms of supermassive black holes. While there are sound theoretical arguments both for and against their presence in today's clusters, observational studies have so far not yielded truly conclusive IMBH detections nor upper limits. We argue that the most promising approach to solving this issue is provided by the combination of measurements of the proper motions of stars at the centers of Galactic globular clusters and dynamical models able to take full advantage of this type of data set. We present a program based on HST observations and recently developed tools for dynamical analysis designed to do just that.
The progeny of stellar dynamics and stellar evolution within an N-body model of NGC 188
Authors: Geller Aaron M. , Hurley Jarrod R. , Mathieu Robert D.
Published: January 2010

We present a direct N-body simulation modeling the evolution of the old (7 Gyr) open cluster NGC 188. This is the first N-body open cluster simulation whose initial binary population is directly defined by observations of a specific open cluster: M35 (150 Myr). We compare the simulated color–magnitude diagram at 7 Gyr to that of NGC 188, and discuss the blue stragglers produced in the simulation. We compare the solar-type main-sequence binary period and eccentricity distributions of the simulation to detailed observations of similar binaries in NGC 188. These results demonstrate the importance of detailed observations in guiding N-body open cluster simulations. Finally, we discuss the implications of a few discrepancies between the NGC 188 model and observations and suggest a few methods for bringing N-body open cluster simulations into better agreement with observations.
Globular clusters as laboratories for stellar evolution
Authors: Catelan Márcio , Valcarce Aldo A. R. , Sweigart Allen V.
Published: January 2010

Globular clusters have long been considered the closest approximation to a physicist's laboratory in astrophysics, and as such a near-ideal laboratory for (low-mass) stellar evolution. However, recent observations have cast a shadow on this long-standing paradigm, suggesting the presence of multiple populations with widely different abundance patterns, and—crucially– with widely different helium abundances as well. In this review we discuss which features of the Hertzsprung–Russel diagram may be used as helium-abundance indicators, and present an overview of available constraints on the helium abundance in globular clusters.
Star clusters with dual red clumps
Authors: Girardi Léo , Rubele Stefano , Kerber Leandro
Published: January 2010

A few star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds exhibit composite structures in the red-clump region of their colour–magnitude diagrams. The most striking case is NGC 419 in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), where the red clump is composed of a main blob as well as a distinct secondary feature. This structure is demonstrated to be real and corresponds to the simultaneous presence of stars which passed through electron degeneracy after central-hydrogen exhaustion and those that did not. This rare occurrence in a single cluster allows us to set stringent constraints on its age and on the efficiency of convective-core overshooting during main-sequence evolution. We present a more detailed analysis of NGC 419, together with a first look at other populous Large Magellanic Cloud clusters which are apparently in the same phase: NGC 1751, NGC 1783, NGC 1806, NGC 1846, NGC 1852 and NGC 1917. We also compare these Magellanic Cloud cases with their Galactic counterparts, NGC 752 and NGC 7789. We emphasise the extraordinary potential of these clusters as absolute calibration marks on the age scale of stellar populations.
Primordial binary evolution and blue stragglers
Authors: Chen Xuefei , Han Zhanwen
Published: January 2010

Blue stragglers have been found in all populations. They are important in both stellar evolution and stellar population synthesis. Much evidence shows that blue stragglers are relevant to primordial binaries. Here, we summarize the links between binary evolution and blue stragglers, describe the characteristics of blue stragglers originating from different binary evolutionary channels and show their consequences for binary population synthesis, such as for the integrated spectral-energy distribution, the colour–magnitude diagram, their specific frequency, and their influence on colours, etc.
Measuring the GC luminosity function up to z ~ 0.2
Authors: Alamo-Martínez K. A. , González-Lópezlira R. A. , Blakeslee J.
Published: January 2010

Globular clusters (GCs) are stellar systems (~106 M⊙) with very regular symmetry, single age, and single metallicity. Spectroscopic studies have revealed very old ages, suggesting that GCs were formed in the earliest stages of galaxy formation and assembly. The aim of this work is to find out how far we can measure the GC luminosity function, specific frequency, and radial distribution, applying the surface-brightness-fluctuations (SBF) technique to deep ACS images. To this end, we apply the effects caused by higher redshift to HST/ACS images (in two optical bands, F606W and F814W) of M87, an elliptical galaxy with a very well-studied GC system. The effects involved are: (i) evolution, (ii) inverse k correction, (iii) binning of the image to smaller angular size, (iv) cosmological dimming of surface brightness, and (v) noise addition to account for different exposure times. After processing the images we detect the brightest GCs through direct photometry (e.g., with SExtractor), whereas the unresolved clusters are measured through SBFs. The above treatment is repeated for z=0.05, 0.1, 0.14, and 0.18, and the results are compared to the measurements at z=0 to estimate biases and incompleteness.
Determination of astrophysical parameters of open clusters using classical and semi-automated isochrone-fitting methods
Authors: Alves Virginia Mello , Bica Eduardo , Pavani Daniela Borges
Published: January 2010

When we use optical isochrone-fitting solutions from the literature to 2mass CMDs, they are often not the best solutions in the infrared domain. We analysed 10 open clusters with 2mass, nine of them previously studied with optical photometry (NGC 1245, NGC 1342, NGC 1502, NGC 2104, NGC 2204, NGC 2243, NGC 2281, NGC 6709 and NGC 744) and one using integrated spectroscopy (BH 132). The study involved the classical (by eye) and a semi-automated method of isochrone fitting. We used the solutions of the first method as input for the second, looking for refined solutions. The semi-automated method uses a synthetic color–magnitude diagram (CMD), based on different Padova isochrones, to compare with the observed CMDs by means of likelihood statistics. The derived astrophysical parameters are age, distance and reddening values. The present results show better fits than those implied by the optical values. We also show that the semi-automated method decreases the parameter uncertainties.
Multicolor CCD photometry of the open cluster NGC 752
Authors: Bartašiūtė Stanislava , Janusz Robert , Boyle Richard P. , Philip A. G. Davis , Deveikis Viktoras
Published: January 2010

We obtained CCD observations of the open cluster NGC 752 with the 1.8m Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (Mt. Graham, Arizona) with a 4K CCD camera and eight intermediate-band filters of the Stromvil (Strömgren + Vilnius) system. Four 12′ × 12′ fields were observed, covering the central part of the cluster. The good-quality multicolor data made it possible to obtain precise estimates of distance moduli, metallicity and foreground reddening for individual stars down to the limiting magnitude, V = 17.5, enabling photometric identification of faint cluster members. The new observations provide an extension of the lower main sequence to three magnitudes beyond the previous (photographic) limit. A relatively small number of photometric members identified at fainter magnitudes seems to be indicative of actual dissolution of the cluster from the low-mass end.
Limits on the dark matter content of globular clusters
Authors: Baumgardt H. , Côté P. , Hilker M. , Rejkuba M. , Mieske S. , Djorgovski S. G. , Stetson P.
Published: January 2010

We have measured the velocity dispersion of the Galactic globular cluster NGC 2419 to determine if a substantial amount of dark matter is present in this cluster. NGC 2419 is one of the best globular clusters to look for dark matter due to its large mass, long relaxation time and large Galactocentric distance, which makes tidal stripping of dark matter unlikely. Our results can be summarized as follows. (i) We found a global velocity dispersion of 4.14 ± 0.48 km s−1, which leads to a total cluster mass of (9.02 ± 2.22) × 105 M⊙ and implies a global mass-to-light ratio of 2.05 ± 0.50 M⊙/L⊙. (ii) Our derived mass-to-light ratio is completely consistent with the mass-to-light ratio of a standard stellar population at the metallicity and age of NGC 2419. In addition, the mass-to-light ratio of NGC 2419 does not increase towards the outer cluster parts. (iii) We can therefore rule out the presence of a dark-matter halo with a central density greater than about 0.02 M⊙ pc−3. Similar limits are found for other halo globular clusters, like Pal 14. These observations therefore indicate that NGC 2419 and other halo globular clusters did not form at the centers of dark-matter halos similar to those surrounding dwarf galaxies. Instead, an origin driven by gas-dynamical processes during mergers between galaxies or proto-galactic fragments seems to be the more likely explanation for the formation of even the lowest-metallicity globular clusters.
Lithium survey in evolved stars observed in the sacy project
Authors: Martins B. L. Canto , Vieira S. , Torres C. A. O. , Quast G. R. , da Silva L. , de La Reza R. , de Melo C. H. F. , de Medeiros J. R.
Published: January 2010

The primary goal of the sacy project (Search for Associations Containing Young Stars) was to identify possible associations of stars younger than the Pleiades association among optical counterparts of ROSAT X-ray-bright sources. The study of the chemical abundance in stars located in regions of stellar formation is extremely important to understand stellar nucleo-synthesis, the physical mechanisms controlling mixing in stellar interiors, and chemical enrichment in the Galaxy. The present work highights the first results of a chemical-abundance study of evolved stars identified in the sacy survey. For this, we performed a detailed spectroscopic analysis for the determination of atmospheric parameters and Li abundance for a sample of giant and subgiant stars. The observations were carried out with high resolution using the FEROS (R = 48 000) échelle spectrograph. We measured the stellar parameters (Teff, log g, vmic, [Fe/H]) from LTE analysis in the complete range of 420-1100 nm. Li abundance was derived from the region around the lithium line at 6707.78 Å for the entire sample of stars.
An overview of the rotational behavior of metal-poor stars
Authors: Cortés C. , Silva J. R. P. , Recio–Blanco A. , Catelan M. , Do Nascimento J. D. , De Medeiros J. R.
Published: January 2010

We describe the behavior of the rotational velocity in metal-poor stars ([Fe/H] ~ −0.5 dex) at different evolutionary stages, based on v sin i values from the literature. Our sample is composed of stars in the field and in some Galactic globular clusters, including stars on the main sequence (MS), red-giant branch (RGB), and horizontal branch (HB). The metal-poor stars are mainly slow rotators, and their v sin i distribution along the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram is quite homogeneous. Nevertheless, a few moderate to high values of v sin i are found for stars located on the MS and the HB. We show that the overall distribution of v sin i values is basically independent of metallicity for the stars in our sample. In particular, the fast-rotating MS stars in our sample exhibit similar rotation rates as their metal-rich counterparts, suggesting that some may actually be fairly young, in spite of their low metallicity, or else that at least some would be better classified as blue straggler stars. We do not find significant evidence of evolution in v sin i values as a function of position on the RGB. In particular, we do not confirm previous suggestions that stars close to the RGB tip rotate faster than their less-evolved counterparts. While the presence of fast rotators among moderately cool blue-HB stars has been suggested as due to angular-momentum transport from a stellar core that has retained significant angular momentum during its prior evolution, we find that any such transport mechanisms must likely operate very fast as the star arrives on the zero-age HB (ZAHB), since we do not find a link between evolution off the ZAHB and v sin i values.
Clusters of PMS stars in the Magellanic Clouds: the case of LH95
Authors: Da Rio Nicola
Published: January 2010

We present a study of the pre-main-sequence (PMS) population in the stellar association LH95 in the LMC, based on the deepest HST/ACS photometry ever taken in a region of the Magellanic Clouds. This association hosts ~ 2500 PMS stars, distributed in three main subclusters. We isolate this population by subtracting the LMC field, study the reddening distribution which peaks at AV ~ 0.5 mag, and assign masses, down to 0.2 M⊙, to each member using a newly derived conversion of evolutionary models for the LMC metallicity and the ACS photometric system. We derive the first IMF in the subsolar regime ever measured outside our Galaxy, complete down to 0.4 M⊙. It presents a flattening at 1 M⊙, changing its slope from x = 2.05 for intermediate-mass stars to x = 1.05 in the subsolar regime. Correcting for unresolved binarity, it is compatible with the Galactic IMF. We do not find evidence of spatial variations of the IMF in the region. We study the ages of the PMS members using maximum-likelihood methods based on the location of the stars in the color–magnitude diagram with respect to 2D isochrones obtained by applying intrinsic and observational biases (differential extinction, variability, confusion, unresolved binarity) to modeled simple stellar populations. We find a most likely global age of ~ 10 Myr, and demonstrate that neglecting the aforementioned biases leads to an underestimation of the cluster age of up to 50%. We find that the observed luminosity spread is more than twice larger than can be explained by such biases, confirming that the star formation in LH95 lasted a few Myr.
Open clusters: a program to analyse the color–magnitude diagram with the help of stellar kinematic data
Authors: Dias Wilton S. , Caetano Thiago Costa
Published: January 2010

We constructed a program that allows one to use simultaneously and interactively photometric and astrometric stellar data (proper motion) to analyse color–color and color–magnitude diagrams. With this program, we are able to determine, based on photometric membership, the distance and age as well as the mean proper motion and radial velocity of several open clusters which had very uncertain parameters in previous analyses.
The dynamics of an extremely young cluster probed for the first time
Authors: Ducourant Christine , Bontemps Sylvain , Despois Didier , André Philippe , Teixeira Ramachrisna , Moraux Estelle , Bouvier Jerome , Krone–Martins Alberto , Sinachopoulos Dimitris
Published: January 2010

We present a proper-motion program that we have developed at ESO to measure, for the first time, proper motions of members of the nearby (125 pc), very young (4 × 105 yr) infrared ρ Ophiuchi cluster. Repeated imaging over an extended period will allow us to measure the global proper motion of the cluster and its velocity dispersion and will provide access to the ~ 1 km s−1 velocities for objects as faint as K = 15.7 mag. Access to the velocity field of such an extremely young cluster is of crucial importance to investigate the origin and early evolution of open cluster systems.
The globular cluster M 69: color–magnitude diagram and variable stars
Authors: Escobar M. E. , Catelan M. , Zoccali M. , Smith H. A. , Pritzl B. J. , Layden A. , Gregorsok J. , Welch D. L. , Webb T.
Published: January 2010

We present BV photometry and the results of a search for stellar variability in the Galactic globular cluster M 69. The resulting color–magnitude diagram shows significant contamination by field stars. In our variability search we found 62 variable stars, 54 of which were new discoveries.
Determination of kinematic distances of pre-main-sequence stars in star-forming regions
Authors: Galli Phillip A. B. , Teixeira Ramachrisna , Ducourant Christine , Bertout Claude
Published: January 2010

Many studies of star-forming regions have been carried out since the discovery of compact Hii regions in the late 1960s. The kinematic properties of young stars in the nearest regions with ongoing and recent star formation provide essential tests of their formation mechanisms. The detection of coeval moving groups allows determination of individual distances through the convergent-point method. As a result, the main physical properties of these stars and their early evolutionary stages can be determined if we know how distant they are.
Nuclear clusters in dwarf irregular galaxies and their connection to massive galactic clusters
Authors: Georgiev Iskren Y. , Hilker Michael , Puzia Thomas H. , Goudfrooij Paul , Baumgardt Holger
Published: January 2010

We compare nuclear globular clusters (nGCs) in dwarf galaxies and Galactic GCs with extended (hot) horizontal branches (EHB–GCs) to test the suggested external origin of the latter and the conditions under which GC self-enrichment can operate. We show that the present-day escape velocity (vesc) of stellar ejecta to reach the cluster tidal radius compares with those of EHB–GCs. For EHB–GCs, we find a correlation between the present-day vesc and their metallicity as well as (V − I) colour. The similar vesc and (V − I) distribution of nGCs and EHB–GCs implies that nGCs could also have complex stellar populations. The vesc–[Fe/H] relation could reflect the known relation of increasing stellar-wind velocity with metallicity, which in turn explains why more metal-poor clusters typically show more peculiarities in their stellar population than more metal-rich clusters of the same mass.
Star clusters: age, metallicity and extinction from integrated spectra
Authors: González Delgado Rosa M. , Cid Fernandes Roberto
Published: January 2010

Integrated optical spectra of star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds and a few Galactic globular clusters are fitted using high-resolution spectral models for single stellar populations. The goal is to estimate the age, metallicity and extinction of the clusters, and evaluate the degeneracies among these parameters. Several sets of evolutionary models that were computed with recent high-spectral-resolution stellar libraries (MILES, GRANADA, STELIB), are used as inputs to the starlight code to perform the fits. The comparison of the results derived from this method and previous estimates available in the literature allow us to evaluate the pros and cons of each set of models to determine star cluster properties. In addition, we quantify the uncertainties associated with the age, metallicity and extinction determinations resulting from variance in the ingredients for the analysis.
Lithium abundances of main-sequence and subgiant stars in the globular cluster NGC 6397
Authors: González Hernández J. I. , Bonifacio P. , Caffau E. , Steffen M. , Ludwig H.-G. , Behara N. , Sbordone L. , Cayrel R. , Zaggia S.
Published: January 2010

We present FLAMES/GIRAFFE spectroscopy obtained with the Very Large Telescope (VLT). Using these observations, we have been able (for the first time) to observe the Lii doublet in the main-sequence (MS) stars of a globular cluster. We also observed Li in a sample of subgiant (SG) stars of the same B − V colour. Our final sample is composed of 84 SG and 79 MS stars. In spite of the fact that SG and MS stars span the same temperature range, we find that the equivalent widths of the Lii doublet in SG stars are systematically greater than in MS stars, suggesting a higher Li content among SG stars. This is confirmed by our quantitative analysis, which makes use of both 1D and 3D model atmospheres. We find that SG stars show, on average, a higher Li abundance, by 0.1 dex, than MS stars. We also detect a positive slope of Li abundance with effective temperature: the higher the temperature the higher the Li abundance, both for SG and MS stars, although the slope is slightly steeper for MS stars. These results provide unambiguous evidence that the Li abundance changes with evolutionary state. The physical mechanisms that contribute to this are not yet clear, since none of the proposed models seem to describe accurately the observations. Whether such a mechanism can explain the cosmological lithium problem is still an open question.
Looking for building blocks of the Galactic halo: variable stars in the Fornax, Bootes I, Canes Venatici II dwarfs and in NGC 2419
Authors: Greco Claudia , Clementini Gisella , Held E. V. , Poretti E. , Catelan M. , Federici L. , Maio M. , Gullieuszik M. , Ripepi V. , Dall'Ora M. , Di Fabrizio L. , Kinemuchi K. , Di Crescienzo M. , Marconi M. , Musella I. , Pritzl B. , Rest A. , De Lee N. , Smith H.
Published: January 2010

Λ cold-dark-matter hierarchical models of galaxy formation suggest that the halo of the Milky Way (MW) has been assembled, at least in part, through accretion of protogalactic fragments partially resembling the present-day dwarf spheroidal (dSph) satellites of the MW. Investigation of the stellar populations of the MW's globular clusters (GCs) and dSph companions can thus provide excellent tests to infer the dominant Galaxy-formation scenario, whether merger/accretion or cloud collapse. Pulsating variable stars offer a very powerful tool in this context, since variables of different types allow tracing the different stellar generations in a galaxy and to reconstruct the galaxy's star-formation history and assembly back to the first epochs of galaxy formation. In particular, the RR Lyrae stars, belonging to the old population (t > 10 Gyr), witnessed the epoch of halo formation, and thus hold a crucial role to identify the MW satellites that may have contributed to build up the Galactic halo. In the MW, most GCs with an RR Lyrae population sharply divide into two distinct groups (Oosterhoff types I and II) based on the mean periods and relative proportion of fundamental-mode (RRab) and first-overtone (RRc) RR Lyrae stars. On the other hand, the Galactic-halo field RR Lyrae stars show a dominance of Oosterhoff I properties. Here, we investigate the Oosterhoff properties of a number of different stellar systems, starting from relatively undisturbed dwarf galaxies (the Fornax dSph and its globular clusters), through distorted and tidally disrupting ones (the Bootes and Canes Venatici II dSphs), to possible final relics of the disruption process (the Galactic globular cluster NGC 2419). We are addressing the crucial question of whether the RR Lyrae pulsation properties in these systems conform to the Oosterhoff dichotomy characterizing the MW variables. If they do not, the Galaxy's halo cannot have been assembled by dSph-like protogalactic fragments resembling the present-day dSph companions of the MW. We have reduced and combined long time series from different telescopes, both ground- and space-based. Variable stars have been detected with image-subtraction techniques using the package isis2.1. Periods, amplitudes and Oosterhoff type for all variable stars, as well as color–magnitude diagrams of the stellar populations are discussed for each stellar cluster analyzed.
Galactic consequences of clustered star formation
Authors: Haas M. R. , Anders P.
Published: January 2010

If all stars form in clusters and both stars and clusters follow a power-law distribution which favours the creation of low-mass objects, the numerous low-mass clusters will be deficient in high-mass stars. Therefore, the stellar mass function integrated over the entire galaxy (the integrated galactic initial mass function; IGIMF) will be steeper at the high-mass end than the underlying stellar IMF. We show how the steepness of the IGIMF depends on the sampling method and on the assumptions made regarding the star cluster mass function. We also investigate the O-star content, integrated photometry and chemical enrichment of galaxies that result from several IGIMFs compared to more standard IMFs.
Proper-motion measurements in the Quintuplet cluster
Authors: Hußmann Benjamin , Stolte Andrea , Brandner Wolfgang
Published: January 2010

The three young, massive star clusters found in the Galactic Centre region (Young Nuclear Cluster, the Arches and Quintuplet clusters) are among the six most massive star clusters in our Galaxy, with masses similar to low-mass, extragalactic starburst clusters. The conditions for star formation in this region are extreme and likely comparable to those found in the Hii regions in starburst galaxies and tidal-interaction zones of mergers. As the inner Galactic star clusters can be resolved, they can serve as templates for extragalactic starburst clusters. With knowledge of the spectral types, masses and ages of the individual stars, their stellar population can be studied in detail, allowing derivation of their present-day mass function (PDMF). The Quintuplet cluster, with an age of about 4 Myr, is the most extended of the three clusters and also displays a lower spatial density. To determine its mass function correctly, the distinction between cluster and field stars is therefore of particular importance. We present the first determination of a proper-motion-membership sample for the Quintuplet cluster. By comparing two high-precision astrometric VLT/NACO data sets with a time baseline of 5 years, the displacement of the Quintuplet cluster relative to the field population was measured and a selection of the proper-motion cluster members could be established, from which the PDMF can be derived.
Tracing star cluster formation in the interacting galaxy M51
Authors: Hwang Narae , Lee Myung Gyoon
Published: January 2010

We present a study of star clusters in the interacting galaxy M51 using a star cluster catalog that includes about 3600 star clusters with mF555W < 23 mag, compiled by Hwang & Lee (2008). Combined with mF336W-band imaging data taken with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST)'s WFPC2 camera, we have derived the ages and masses of star clusters in M51 using theoretical population synthesis models. The cluster age distribution displays multiple peaks that correspond to the epochs of dynamical encounters predicted by theoretical model studies and the cluster-formation rate appears to increase around the same epochs.
The field of Lacerta OB1
Authors: Kaltcheva Nadia T.
Published: January 2010

We present a new analysis of the Galactic structure in the field of Lacerta. The investigation uses precise uvbyβ photometry and the recalculated Hipparcos parallaxes to provide an improved homogeneous distance scale to the main stellar groups in the field. The OB association Lac OB1 (Lac OB1b) is reliably identified as a very compact young group at an average distance of 520 ± 80 pc. The characteristics of the older Lac OB1a group and the open cluster NGC 7243 are extensively studied based on photometric diagrams and the inferred distances. A good agreement between the photometry-derived distances and the recalculated Hipparcos parallaxes is found for the Lac OB1 group, but in general discrepancies still exist for this particular field.
Super star clusters in Hii galaxies
Authors: Lagos Patricio , Telles Eduardo , Carrasco E. R.
Published: January 2010

We summarize our results based on observations with the NIRI camera on the Gemini North telescope of three Hii galaxies (Mrk 36, UM 408 and UM 461), obtained to identify and determine the ages and masses of the elementary components (the star cluster population) of the starburst regions in compact Hii galaxies. Our preliminary results indicate that the masses of the stellar clusters in these galaxies range from ~104 to ~106 M⊙, with associated ages of a few Myr. The most massive star clusters fall in the so-called super star cluster category. The identification of these clusters suggests that the formation and evolution of massive star clusters is the dominant mode of star formation in these galaxies. Their spatial distribution and ages seem to indicate that star formation is simultaneous over these timescales in some of our objects. We also review our recent description of the spatial distribution of physical conditions in the Hii galaxy UM 408 using the GMOS integral-field unit on Gemini South. The spatial distribution of the oxygen abundance does not show any significant variation or gradient across the galaxy on scales of hundreds of parsecs, within our observational uncertainties, confirming that this compact Hii galaxy, like other previously studied dwarf irregular galaxies, is chemically homogeneous.
W UMa-type systems in globular clusters
Authors: Li Lifang , Zhang Fenghui , Han Zhanwen
Published: January 2010

W UMa systems can be found everywhere in the Galaxy. They can be used as a distance tracer. Therefore, W UMa systems are very important to investigate the structure of the Galaxy. The distance to W UMa systems in globular clusters (GCs) is determined using a period–color–luminosity relation. It is found that the mean distance (ra) of W UMa systems is consistent with their host cluster distances (rGC) deduced from their intrinsic distance moduli if rGC ≤ 10 kpc. There is a significant difference between ra and rGC for rGC ≥ 10 kpc. We discuss the reasons causing this deviation.
Star clusters in the starburst galaxy M82
Authors: Lim Sungsoon , Hwang Narae , Lee Myung Gyoon
Published: January 2010

We present a study of star clusters in the starburst galaxy M82 using the BVI mosaic images taken with the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys. We have selected about 850 clusters with V < 23 mag based on their morphological information. The brightest cluster is as bright as V ~ 16.5 mag (MV ~ −11.2 mag) and most clusters are fainter than V = 18 mag (MV = −9.7 mag). The V-band luminosity function is represented by a power law with a slope α ~ −2.0 in the range of −9.5 < MV < −7 mag. The star clusters in M82 are mainly distributed in the galaxy's disk. However, about a dozen clusters are found far from the disk and are considered to belong to the halo of M82. The color–magnitude diagrams of star clusters show that most star clusters are highly reddened. We have derived the age of the star clusters using a spectral-energy-distribution fitting method with Bruzual & Charlot simple stellar population models. We discuss the age distribution as well as the photometric properties of the star clusters in regard to the formation history of the M82 cluster population.
Young open clusters in the Milky Way and Small Magellanic Cloud
Authors: Martayan C.
Published: January 2010

NGC 6611, Trumpler 14, Trumpler 15, Trumpler 16, and Collinder 232 are very young open clusters located in star-formation regions in the Eagle Nebula and Carina in the Milky Way, and NGC 346 in the Small Magellanic Cloud. With different instrumentation and techniques, it has been possible to detect and classify new Herbig Ae/Be and classical Be stars and to provide new tests/comparisons of the Be stars' appearance models. Special (He-strong) stars in these star-formation regions are also discussed.
Metallicity analysis of an SMC cluster sample using Caii-triplet spectroscopy
Authors: Parisi M. C. , Grocholski A. , Geisler D. , Sarajedini A. , Clariá J. J.
Published: January 2010

The metallicities of 15 Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) clusters are determined from the Calcium ii-triplet lines in spectra obtained using the FORS2 multi-object spectrograph on the VLT (Paranal, Chile). The metallicity distribution, metallicity gradient and age–metallicity relationship in the SMC are determined and analyzed using new and literature data for these and other, previously studied SMC objects. Only the main results regarding these topics are presented and discussed.
Open cluster remnants in low-density Galactic fields
Authors: Pavani D. B. , Kerber L. O. , Bica E. , Maciel W. J.
Published: January 2010

Open cluster remnants (OCRs) are fundamental objects to investigate open cluster dissolution processes (e.g., Bica et al. 2001; Carraro 2002; Pavani et al. 2003; Carraro et al. 2007; Pavani & Bica 2007). They are defined as poorly populated concentrations of stars, with enough members to show evolutionary sequences in colour–magnitude diagrams (CMDs) as a result of the dynamical evolution of an initially more massive physical system. An OCR is intrinsically poorly populated, which makes its differentiation from field-star fluctuations difficult. Among the possible approaches to establish the nature of OCRs, we adopted CMD analysis combined with a robust statistical tool applied to 2mass data. In addition, photometry is the main information source available for possible OCRs (POCRs). We developed a statistical diagnostic tool to analyse the CMDs of POCRs and verify them as physical systems, explore membership probabilityies taking into account field contamination and derive age, distance and reddening values in a self-consistent way. We present the results of our analysis of 88 POCRs that are part of a larger sample that is widely distributed across the sky, with a significant density contrast of bright stars compared to the Galactic field. The 88 objects are projected onto low-density Galactic fields, at relatively high latitudes (|b| > 15°). Studies of larger POCR samples will provide a better understanding of OCR properties and constraints for theoretical models, including new insights into the evolution of open clusters and their dissolution rates. The results of this ongoing survey will provide a general picture of these fossil stellar systems and their connection to Galactic-disk evolution.
Abundances of seven red giants in the open cluster NGC 3114
Authors: Pereira C. B. , Quireza C.
Published: January 2010

We present a chemical analysis of seven red giants in the open cluster NGC 3114. Our main goal is to investigate the chemical composition of this cluster, which is not yet available in the literature. We employed the FEROS spectrograph on the ESO 2.2m telescope. Atmospheric parameters and metallicity were derived from the measured equivalent widths of several iron lines using the spectral code moog and Kurucz model atmospheres. We obtained the abundances of O, Al, Ca, Mg, Si, Ti, Ni, Cr, Sc, Y, Zr, La, Ce and Nd by measuring the equivalent widths of the absorption lines of these elements. A mean metallicity of [Fe/H] = 0.05 ± 0.13 relative to the Sun was determined from the data of the red-giant members. This result is in good agreement with the Galactic-disk radial distribution of iron traced by open clusters. We did not find any intrinsic star-to-star scatter in the [element/Fe] ratios for the stars in this cluster. We compare our results with investigations of other open clusters. An age of 8.2 Gyr is derived from isochrone fits.