An Ultraviolet to Infrared Photometric Study of Star Clusters in the Circumnuclear Star-forming Region of Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 1672

  • Jang, In-Sung (Astronomy Program, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University) ;
  • Lee, Myung-Gyoon (Astronomy Program, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University)
  • Published : 2011.10.05

Abstract

We report on a photometric study of star clusters in the circumnuclear star-forming region of nearby barred spiral galaxy NGC 1672. We use FUV to NIR imaging data (FUV, U, B, V, R, $H{\alpha}$, I, and H) in the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) archive. We have selected 89 star clusters with V<21.8 (MV<-9) mag in the central 600 pc region, and have derived their age & mass by comparing their colors with theoretical population synthesis models. Most of the star clusters are mildly reddened (E(B-V)~0.2 on average), but some star clusters suffer from severe reddening (E(B-V)>0.6). The mass of the star clusters are in the range from $10^4\;M_{\odot}$ to $10^7\;M_{\odot}$. About half of them are more massive than $10^5\;M_{\odot}$. Their ages range from 1 Myr to several 100 Myr, and concentrate at ~6 Myr and ~40 Myr. It indicates that the episodic starburst in the circumnuclear star-forming region lasted at least several 100 Myr. We find no obvious azimuthal age gradient, but we find a radial age gradient in some regions. We discuss these properties with theoretical expectations.

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