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OB stellar associations in the Large Magellanic Cloud: Survey of young stellar systems
The method developed by Gouliermis et al. (\cite{Gouliermis00}, PaperI), for the detection and classification of stellar systems in the LMC,was used for the identification of stellar associations and openclusters in the central area of the LMC. This method was applied on thestellar catalog produced from a scanned 1.2 m UK Schmidt Telescope Platein U with a field of view almost 6\fdg5 x 6\fdg5, centered on the Bar ofthis galaxy. The survey of the identified systems is presented herefollowed by the results of the investigation on their spatialdistribution and their structural parameters, as were estimatedaccording to our proposed methodology in Paper I. The detected openclusters and stellar associations show to form large filamentarystructures, which are often connected with the loci of HI shells. Thederived mean size of the stellar associations in this survey was foundto agree with the average size found previously by other authors, forstellar associations in different galaxies. This common size of about 80pc might represent a universal scale for the star formation process,whereas the parameter correlations of the detected loose systems supportthe distinction between open clusters and stellar associations.
| Structure and Dynamics of Candidate O Star Bubbles in N44
Dynamical studies of superbubbles and Wolf-Rayet ring nebulae showdiscrepancies from the standard adiabatic model for windblown bubbles.We therefore study the physical properties and kinematics of threecandidate bubbles blown by single O stars to evaluate whether thesediscrepancies are also found in these simpler objects. Our samplecandidates are N44 F, N44 J, and N44 M, in the outskirts of the H IIcomplex N44 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. We have obtained ground-basedand Hubble Space Telescope emission-line images and high-dispersionechelle spectra for these objects. From the Hα luminosities andthe [O III]/Hα ratios of these nebulae, we estimate the spectraltypes of the ionizing stars to be O7 V, O9.5 V, and O9.5 V for N44 F,N44 J, and N44 M, respectively. We find that the observed expansionvelocity of 12 km s-1 for N44 F is consistent with thestellar wind luminosity expected from the central ionizing star, aspredicted by the standard bubble model. The observed upper limits forthe expansion velocities of N44 J and N44 M are also compatible with theexpected values, within the uncertainties. We also report the discoveryin N44 F of strongly defined dust columns, similar to those seen in theEagle Nebula. The photoevaporation of these dense dust features may bekinematically important and may actually govern the evolution of theshell. The inclusion of photoevaporation processes may thus underminethe apparent agreement between the observed bubble dynamics and thesimple adiabatic models.
| The Progenitor Masses of Wolf-Rayet Stars and Luminous Blue Variables Determined from Cluster Turnoffs. I. Results from 19 OB Associations in the Magellanic Clouds
We combine new CCD UBV photometry and spectroscopy with those from theliterature to investigate 19 Magellanic Cloud OB associations thatcontain Wolf-Rayet (W-R) and other types of evolved, massive stars. Ourspectroscopy reveals a wealth of newly identified interesting objects,including early O-type supergiants, a high-mass, double-lined binary inthe SMC, and, in the LMC, a newly confirmed luminous blue variable (LBV;R85), a newly discovered W-R star (Sk -69°194), and a newly foundluminous B[e] star (LH 85-10). We use these data to provide precisereddening determinations and construct physical H-R diagrams for theassociations. We find that about half of the associations may be highlycoeval, with the massive stars having formed over a short period(Δτ<1 Myr). The (initial) masses of the highest massunevolved stars in the coeval clusters may be used to estimate themasses of the progenitors of W-R and other evolved stars found in theseclusters. Similarly, the bolometric luminosities of the highest massunevolved stars can be used to determine the bolometric corrections(BCs) for the evolved stars, providing a valuable observational basisfor evaluating recent models of these complicated atmospheres. What wefind is the following: (1) Although their numbers is small, it appearsthat the W-R stars in the SMC come from only the highest mass (greaterthan 70 Msolar) stars. This is in accord with ourexpectations that at low metallicities only the most massive andluminous stars will have sufficient mass loss to become W-R stars. (2)In the LMC, the early-type WN (WNE) stars occur in clusters whoseturnoff masses range from 30 to 100 Msolar or more. Thissuggests that possibly all stars with mass greater than 30Msolar pass through a WNE stage at LMC metallicities. (3) Theone WC star in the SMC is found in a cluster with a turnoff mass of 70Msolar, the same as that for the SMC WN stars. In the LMC,the WC stars are found in clusters with turnoff masses of 45Msolar or higher, similar to what is found for the LMC WNstars. Thus we conclude that WC stars come from essentially the samemass range as do WN stars and indeed are often found in the sameclusters. This has important implications for interpreting therelationship between metallicity and the WC/WN ratio found in LocalGroup galaxies, which we discuss. (4) The LBVs in our sample come fromvery high mass stars (greater than 85 Msolar), similar towhat is known for the Galactic LBV η Car, suggesting that only themost massive stars go through an LBV phase. Recently, Ofpe/WN9 starshave been implicated as LBVs after one such star underwent an LBV-likeoutburst. However, our study includes two Ofpe/WN9 stars, BE 381 and Br18, which we find in clusters with much lower turnoff masses (25-35Msolar). We suggest that Ofpe/WN9 stars are unrelated to``true'' LBVs: not all ``LBV-like outbursts'' may have the same cause.Similarly, the B[e] stars have sometimes been described as LBV-like.Yet, the two stars in our sample appear to come from a large mass range(30-60 Msolar). This is consistent with other studies,suggesting that B[e] stars cover a large range in bolometricluminosities. (5) The bolometric corrections of early WN and WC starsare found to be extreme, with an average BC(WNE) of -6.0 mag and anaverage BC(WC4) of -5.5 mag. These values are considerably more negativethan those of even the hottest O-type stars. However, similar valueshave been found for WNE stars by applying Hillier's ``standard model''for W-R atmospheres. We find more modest BCs for the Ofpe/WN9 stars(BC=-2 to -4 mag), also consistent with recent analysis done with thestandard model. Extension of these studies to the Galactic clusters willprovide insight into how massive stars evolve at differentmetallicities.
| A Revised and Extended Catalog of Magellanic System Clusters, Associations, and Emission Nebulae. II. The Large Magellanic Cloud
A survey of extended objects in the Large Magellanic Cloud was carriedout on the ESO/SERC R and J Sky Survey Atlases, checking entries inprevious catalogs and searching for new objects. The census provided6659 objects including star clusters, emission-free associations, andobjects related to emission nebulae. Each of these classes containsthree subclasses with intermediate properties, which are used to infertotal populations. The survey includes cross identifications amongcatalogs, and we present 3246 new objects. We provide accuratepositions, classification, and homogeneous measurements of sizes andposition angles, as well as information on cluster pairs andhierarchical relation for superimposed objects. This unification andenlargement of catalogs is important for future searches of fainter andsmaller new objects. We discuss the angular and size distributions ofthe objects of the different classes. The angular distributions show twooff-centered systems with different inclinations, suggesting that theLMC disk is warped. The present catalog together with its previouscounterpart for the SMC and the inter-Cloud region provide a totalpopulation of 7847 extended objects in the Magellanic System. Theangular distribution of the ensemble reveals important clues on theinteraction between the LMC and SMC.
| Obscured AGB stars in the Magellanic Clouds. I. IRAS candidates
We have selected 198 IRAS sources in the Large Magellanic Cloud, and 11in the Small Magellanic Cloud, which are the best candidates to bemass--loosing AGB stars (or possibly post--AGB stars). We used thecatalogues of \cite[Schwering \& Israel (1990)]{ref42} and\cite[Reid et al. (1990)]{ref36}. They are based on the IRAS pointedobservations and have lower detection limits than the Point SourceCatalogue. We also made cross-identifications between IRAS sources andoptical catalogues. Our resulting catalogue is divided in 7 tables.Table \ref{tab1} lists optically known red supergiants and AGB stars forwhich we found an IRAS counterpart (7 and 52 stars in the SMC and LMC,respectively). Table \ref{tab2} lists ``obscured'' (or ``cocoon'') AGBstars or late-type supergiants which have been identified as such inprevious works through their IRAS counterpart and JHKLM photometry (2SMC and 34 LMC sources; no optical counterparts). Table \ref{tab3} listsknown planetary nebulae with an IRAS counterpart (4 SMC and 19 LMC PNe).Table \ref{tab4} lists unidentified IRAS sources that we believe to begood AGB or post--AGB or PNe candidates (11 SMC and 198 LMC sources).Table~\ref{tab5} lists unidentified IRAS sources which could be any typeof object (23 SMC and 121 LMC sources). Table \ref{tab6} lists IRASsources associated with foreground stars (29 SMC and 135 LMC stars).Table \ref{tab7} lists ruled out IRAS sources associated with HIIregions, hot stars, etc... We show that the sample of IRAS AGB stars inthe Magellanic Clouds is very incomplete. Only AGB stars more luminousthan typically 10^4 L_\odot and with a mass-loss rate larger thantypically 5 10^{-6} M_\odot/yr could be detected by the IRAS satellite.As a consequence, one expects to find very few carbon stars in the IRASsample. We also expect that most AGB stars with intermediate mass--lossrates have not been discovered yet, neither in optical surveys, nor inthe IRAS survey. Tables 1 to 8 are also available in electronic form atthe CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/Abstract.html
| X-Rays from Superbubbles in the Large Magellanic Cloud. IV. The Blowout Structure of N44
We have used optical echelle spectra along with ROSAT and ASCA X-rayspectra to test the hypothesis that the southern portion of the N44X-ray bright region is the result of a blowout structure. Three piecesof evidence now support this conclusion. First, the filamentary opticalmorphology corresponding with the location of the X-ray bright South Barsuggests the blowout description (Chu et al. 1993). Second, opticalechelle spectra show evidence of high-velocity (90 km s^-1^) gas in theregion of the blowout. Third, X-ray spectral fits show a lowertemperature for the South Bar than the main superbubble region of shell1. Such a blowout can affect the evolution of the superbubble andexplain some of the discrepancy discussed by Oey & Massey (1995)between the observed shell diameter and the diameter predicted on thebasis of the stellar content and the pressure-driven bubble model ofWeaver et al. (1977).
| Integrated UBV Photometry of 624 Star Clusters and Associations in the Large Magellanic Cloud
We present a catalog of integrated UBV photometry of 504 star clustersand 120 stellar associations in the LMC, part of them still embedded inemitting gas. We study age groups in terms of equivalent SWB typesderived from the (U-B) X (B-V) diagram. The size of the spatialdistributions increases steadily with age (SWB types), whereas adifference of axial ratio exists between the groups younger than 30 Myrand those older, which implies a nearly face-on orientation for theformer and a tilt of ~45^deg^ for the latter groups. Asymmetries arepresent in the spatial distributions, which, together with thenoncoincidence of the centroids for different age groups, suggest thatthe LMC disk was severely perturbed in the past.
| Triggered Star Formation and the Dynamics of a Superbubble in the LMC: The OB Association LH 47/48 in DEM 152
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1995ApJ...452..210O
| Integrated UV magnitudes of the Large Magellanic Cloud associations
UV photographs (2600 A, 350 A passband) of the LMC have been obtained bythe S183 experiment during a Skylab mission. The background is estimatedand a method for deriving the integrated fluxes is presented. Theintegrated magnitudes of about 50 associations and isocontours of theirintensities are given, along with the B and V integrated magnitudes of13 associations.
| A dynamical approach to the study of the bright young associations in the Large Magellanic Cloud
A model is presented and discussed in order to investigate how thedynamical properties of a young globular cluster depend on the detailsof the process of formation. Several parameters are constrained byapplying the model to some massive associations. Values of a number ofobservables are obtained. The approach provided in the paper shows how,qualitatively, the evolution of a newly formed object, after the gascloud expulsion, is affected by the features of the physical environmentwherein the formation process takes place.
| A preliminary survey of collapsed cores in globular clusters
This is a preliminary report on surface photometry of the major fractionof known globular clusters, to see which of them show the signs of acollapsed core. More than 20 examples, or one-fifth of the total, arefound. Core classifications are given for all clusters examined. Thefraction of collapsed-core clusters may be an index of how long acluster takes to reexpand after collapse.
| Age determination of extragalactic H II regions
The H II region evolution models of Copetti et al. (1984) were comparedwith observational data of H II regions in the Magellanic Clouds, M 33,M 101 and of 'isolated extragalactic H II regions'. IMF with chi = 3 or2.5 are inconsistent with a large number of H II regions. The moreuniform age distribution of isolated extragalactic H II regions obtainedthrough an IMF with chi = 2 suggests that this value is more realisticthan chi = 1 or 1.5. The H II region age estimates indicate a burst ofstar formation about 5.5 + or - 1.0 10 to the -6th yr ago in the LMC andabout 2.3 + or - 0.9 x 10 to the 6th yr ago in the SMC. The observedforbidden O III/H-beta gradient in M 33 and M 101 must be caused bycolor temperature variation of the radiation ionizing the H II regions.
| The Identifications of HDE Objects with Large Magellanic Cloud Clusters and Nebulae
Not Available
| Observations of giant bubbles in the Large Magellanic Cloud
Forbidden line S II/H-alpha intensity line ratio mapping and radialvelocity data as well as monochromatic photographs are presented for asample of bubbles in the LMC and some classical H II regions. Thebubbles of unknown origin have line ratios greater than those of the HII regions and thus appear to fill the gap between thermal andnonthermal radio sources. All the bubbles or filamentary nebulae haveimportant internal kinematical motions while the velocity dispersion isabout 6-7 km/s for the H II regions. The large complex nebulae havevalues similar to simple H II regions in their brightest parts, whilethe faintest parts exhibit greater dispersions and conspicuoussplittings and broadenings. The ionized bubbles appear to beintermediate between classical young H II regions and supernovaremnants.
| The nebular complexes of the large and small Magellanic Clouds
Long exposures of the complexes of ionized hydrogen in both the LMC andSMC have been taken with the 48-in. SRC Schmidt camera through a H-alpha+ forbidden NII interference filter of 100-A bandwidth. These plates andidentifying charts are presented in a form in which little informationis lost. A catalog of many individual emission regions in both thesegalaxies is also compiled. The relationships between the nebulositiesand OB associations as well as between 21-cm neutral hydrogen emissionand continuum radio emission are discussed, and a number ofsupernova-remnant candidates are listed for further study.
| Cartes d'identification d'étoiles dans la direction du Grand Nuage de Magellan sur l'atlas publié par le Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1974A&AS...16..365F
| A catalogue of stellar associations in the Large Magellanic Cloud.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1970AJ.....75..171L
| Neutral hydrogen in the Large Magellanic Cloud
Not Available
| Catalogues of Hα-EMISSION Stars and Nebulae in the Magellanic Clouds.
Abstract image available at:http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?1956ApJS....2..315H&db_key=AST
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