Bibcode
Davies, B.; Kudritzki, Rolf-Peter; Lardo, Carmela; Bergemann, Maria; Beasor, Emma; Plez, Bertrand; Evans, Chris; Bastian, Nate; Patrick, L. R.
Bibliographical reference
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 847, Issue 2, article id. 112, 9 pp. (2017).
Advertised on:
10
2017
Journal
Citations
40
Refereed citations
33
Description
We present an abundance analysis of seven super star clusters in the
disk of M83. The near-infrared spectra of these clusters are dominated
by red supergiants, and the spectral similarity in the J-band of such
stars at uniform metallicity means that the integrated light from the
clusters may be analyzed using the same tools as those applied to single
stars. Using data from VLT/KMOS, we estimate metallicities for each
cluster in the sample. We find that the abundance gradient in the inner
regions of M83 is flat, with a central metallicity of [Z]=0.21+/- 0.11
relative to a solar value of Z ⊙ = 0.014, which is in
excellent agreement with the results from an analysis of luminous hot
stars in the same regions. Compiling this latest study with our other
recent work, we construct a mass–metallicity relation for nearby
galaxies based entirely on the analysis of RSGs. We find excellent
agreement with the other stellar-based technique—that of blue
supergiants—as well as with temperature-sensitive
(“auroral” or “direct”) H ii-region studies. Of
all the H ii-region strong-line calibrations, those that are empirically
calibrated to direct-method studies (N2 and O3N2) provide the most
consistent results.