Related papers: Basic Tools for Studies on the Formation and Disru…
Star clusters in 6 nearby spiral galaxies are examined using archive images from HST/WFPC2. The galaxies have previously been studied from the ground and some of them are known to possess rich populations of "young massive clusters" (YMCs).…
HST is very well tailored for observations of extragalactic star clusters. One obvious reason is HST's high spatial resolution, but equally important is the wavelength range offered by the instruments on board HST, in particular the blue…
We introduce a method to relate a possible truncation of the star cluster mass function at the high mass end to the shape of the cluster luminosity function (LF). We compare the observed LFs of five galaxies containing young star clusters…
Strongly star-forming galaxies are prolific in producing the young and most massive star clusters (YMCs) still forming today. This work investigates the star cluster luminosity functions (CLFs, dN/dL ~ L^{-alpha}) of 26 starburst and…
The luminosity functions (LFs) of star cluster systems (i.e. the number of clusters per luminosity interval) are vital diagnostics to probe the conditions of star cluster formation. Early studies have revealed a clear dichotomy between old…
The Antennae is a pair of late type spirals in the course of merging. The interaction triggered an ongoing strong burst of star formation that also produced a large number of Young Star Clusters (YSCs), many of which seem to be young…
Globular clusters are often assumed to be good tracers of major star formation episodes in their host galaxies. While observations over the past 2 decades have confirmed the presence of young objects with globular cluster-like properties in…
Deep, near-infrared JHK-maps were observed for 10 nearby, grand-design, spiral galaxies using HAWK-I/VLT to study the distribution of young stellar clusters in them and thereby determine whether strong spiral perturbations can influence…
Massive clusters are now seen to form easily in interacting and merging galaxies, making these excellent environments for studying the properties of young clusters. New observations of the Antennae (NGC 4038/39) show that the most luminous…
The study of young star cluster (YSC) systems, preferentially in starburst and merging galaxies, has seen great interest in the recent past, as it provides important input to models of star formation. However, even some basic properties…
Luminosity Functions have been obtained for very faint dwarf galaxies in the cores of four rich clusters of galaxies (Abell 2052, 2107, 2199 and 2666). It is found that the luminosity function of dwarf galaxies rises very steeply in these…
We have measured the 3.6 micron cluster luminosity function (LF) using a sample of 123 galaxy clusters selected from the 4 degree^2 Spitzer First Look Survey (FLS). The clusters were selected on the basis of their R - 3.6 micron colors…
We study H-alpha, far- and near-ultraviolet luminosity functions (LF) of the sample of 795 luminous compact star-forming galaxies with z<0.65. The parameters of optimal functions for LFs are obtained using the maximum likelihood method and…
Luminosity functions have been determined for star cluster populations in 20 nearby (4-30 Mpc), star-forming galaxies based on ACS source lists generated by the Hubble Legacy Archive. Comparisons are made with other recently generated…
The initial cluster mass function (ICMF) in spiral galaxy discs is constrained and compared with data for old globular clusters and young clusters in starbursts. It is found that the observed ages and luminosities of the brightest clusters…
Recently acquired WFC3 UV (F275W and F336W) imaging mosaics under the Legacy Extragalactic UV Survey (LEGUS) combined with archival ACS data of M51 are used to study the young star cluster (YSC) population of this interacting system. Our…
Young massive clusters (YMCs) are usually accompanied by lower-mass clusters and unbound stars with a total mass equal to several tens times the mass of the YMC. If this was also true when globular clusters (GCs) formed, then their cosmic…
We have determined the composite luminosity function (LF) for galaxies in 60 clusters from the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey. The LF spans the range $-22.5<M_{b_{\rm J}}<-15$, and is well-fitted by a Schechter function with ${M_{b_{\rm…
There are at least 2 distinct mechanisms for the formation of young massive clusters (YMC), all of which require galactic-scale processes. One operates in harrassed fragile galaxies, in the dense cores of low mass galaxies, at the ends of…
(Abridged) Accurate luminosity functions (LF) for a dozen globular clusters have now been measured at or just beyond their half-light radius using HST. They span almost the entire cluster main sequence below ~ 0.75 Msolar. All these…