Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
1997-10-31
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
30 pages, 8 figures, AASTEX, also available at: http://www.astro.lsa.umich.edu:80/users/philf/www/papers/list.html
Scientific paper
We have carried out WFPC2 V- and I-band imaging of the young LMC cluster NGC 2157. Construction of a color-magnitude diagram and isochrone fitting yields an age of tau = 100 000 000 yrs, a reddening E(B-V) = 0.1 and a distance modulus of 18.4 mag. Our data covers the mass range 0.75 < m < 5.1 solar masses. We find that the cluster mass function changes significantly from the inner regions to the outer regions, becoming steeper (larger number of low mass stars relative to high mass stars) at larger radii. The age of NGC 2157 is comparable to its two-body relaxation timescale only in the cluster core. The observed steepening of the mass function at larger radii is therefore most likely an initial condition of the cluster stars. Such initial conditions are predicted in models of cluster star formation in which dissipative processes act more strongly upon more massive stars.
Fischer Philippe
Mateo Mario
Murray Stephen S.
Pryor Carlton
Richtler Tom
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