The initial luminosity and mass functions of Galactic open clusters

Details The initial luminosity and mass functions of Galactic open clusters The initial luminosity and mass functions of Galactic open clusters

Mar 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009iaus..254..221z&link_type=abstract

The Galaxy Disk in Cosmological Context, Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, IAU Symposium, Volume 254. Edited

Mathematics

Logic

2

Open Clusters, Astrometry, Photometry, Luminosity Function, Mass Function

Scientific paper

We have derived a complete magnitude-limited sample of 440 Galactic open clusters in the solar neighborhood, with integrated V-magnitude brighter than 8 mag. This sample can be used to infer the present-day luminosity and mass functions of open clusters up to a given age; it can even be used to construct the initial mass and luminosity function (IMF, ILF) of clusters (defined as visible clusters with age 4 - 8 Myr). The high-mass end of the cluster IMF is a power-law with a slope of -2 or slightly shallower (-1.7) while the luminous cluster ILF has a power-slope of -1, in agreement with what is found for extragalactic clusters. Both distribution functions show a turnover, starting at 300 M&sun; and integrated magnitude -3 mag, respectively. The overall birthrate of clusters is 0.4 clusters per kpc2 and per Myr. The average present-day cluster mass is 700 M&sun;, while the average initial cluster mass is 4500 M&sun;. The difference of these two average masses indicates the high infant mortality and/or weight loss of Galactic open clusters (due to dynamical evolution).

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