Poster Session #2: UC Ballroom
Dissolution of Young Super Star Clusters in NGC 1569
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Nate McCrady
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Physics & Astronomy
Abstract / Artist's Statement
The galaxy NGC 1569 contains two young (~10 Million years) massive (~1 Million Solar Masses) star clusters (YMCs) formed during a recent burst of star formation. Theory suggests that YMCs are disrupted by numerous dynamical processes and are dissolved into the stellar population of their host galaxy. We explore the boundaries of the YMCs by examining the relation between the young cluster stars and the ambient field population in high resolution adaptive optics images from the Keck Observatory. Preliminary results indicate the presence of evolved high mass stars with the age of the clusters out to distances much larger than the radii of long-lived clusters in our own galaxy. This implies the clusters are observed actively dissolving into the galactic population, providing observational constraint on models of cluster dissipation.
Dissolution of Young Super Star Clusters in NGC 1569
UC Ballroom
The galaxy NGC 1569 contains two young (~10 Million years) massive (~1 Million Solar Masses) star clusters (YMCs) formed during a recent burst of star formation. Theory suggests that YMCs are disrupted by numerous dynamical processes and are dissolved into the stellar population of their host galaxy. We explore the boundaries of the YMCs by examining the relation between the young cluster stars and the ambient field population in high resolution adaptive optics images from the Keck Observatory. Preliminary results indicate the presence of evolved high mass stars with the age of the clusters out to distances much larger than the radii of long-lived clusters in our own galaxy. This implies the clusters are observed actively dissolving into the galactic population, providing observational constraint on models of cluster dissipation.