Core expansion in young star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (66) References (16) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Core Expansion in Young Clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud Elson, Rebecca A. W. ; Freeman, Kenneth C. ; Lauer, Tod R. Abstract We have measured the core radii of 18 rich star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) with ages 10^7^-10^9^ yr. Data for an additional 17 clusters with ages 10^6^-10^10^ yr are available in the literature. The combined sample shows that the core radii increase from ~0 to ~5 pc between ~ 10^6^ and 10^9^ yr, and then begin to decrease again. The expansion of the cores is probably driven by mass loss from evolving stars. Models of cluster evolution show that the rate of increase in core radius is sensitive to the slope of the initial mass function. The observed core radius-age relation for the LMC clusters favors an initial mass function with slope slightly flatter than the Salpeter value. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: December 1989 DOI: 10.1086/185610 Bibcode: 1989ApJ...347L..69E Keywords: Globular Clusters; Gravitational Collapse; Magellanic Clouds; Astronomical Models; Expansion; Stellar Cores; Stellar Mass Ejection; Astrophysics; CLUSTERS: DYNAMICS; CLUSTERS: GLOBULAR; GALAXIES: MAGELLANIC CLOUDS full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (36) NED (2)