NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2007B-0411
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2007B-0411 |
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PI: John MacKenty, STScI, mackenty@stsci.edu
Address: 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
CoI: Don Figer, Rochester Institute of Technology
CoI: Ben Davies, Rochester Institute of Technology
Title: IRMOS Spectroscopy of Candidate Massive Star Clusters
Abstract:
The 2MASS and Spitzer/GLIMPSE surveys of the galactic plane provide
an exciting opportunity to study star formation processes throughout a
broad range of environments in our galaxy. Several authors have
recently compiled extensive catalogs of candidate star clusters from
these datasets. We have initiated a broad based program to search for
massive young stellar clusters using Spitzer imaging and IRMOS
spectroscopy. Our early efforts have met with far greater success than
we expected with the discovery of two massive clusters containing 14 and
26 Red Super Giant stars. This surpasses the previous record galactic
cluster NGC 7419 (with 5 RSG) and increases the number of known RSG in
our galaxy by 20 percent. We propose to extend this survey with IRMOS
observations of 25 candidate clusters. Beyond the potential increase in
the census of massive young galactic clusters, our growing statistical
sample addresses fundamental questions: the slope and upper mass cutoff
to the IMF, the formation and evolution of the most massive stars, the
effects of massive stars on lower mass protostellar/protoplanetary
systems, gamma-ray burst (GRB) progenitors, nature of the first stars in
the Universe, and chemical enrichment of the interstellar medium.
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726, Phone: (520) 318-8000, Fax: (520) 318-8360
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2007B-0411 |
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