Bibcode
Lagos, P.; Telles, Eduardo; Carrasco, E. R.
Bibliographical reference
Star clusters: basic galactic building blocks throughout time and space, Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, IAU Symposium, Volume 266, p. 447-450
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1
2010
Citations
1
Refereed citations
1
Description
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&sun;, 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.