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Surface Brightness Profiles and Structural Parameters for 53 Rich Stellar Clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud

A. D. Mackey·G. F. Gilmore
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Abstract

We have compiled a pseudo-snapshot data set of two-colour observations from the Hubble Space Telescope archive for a sample of 53 rich LMC clusters with ages 10^6-10^10 yr. We present surface brightness profiles for the entire sample, and derive structural parameters for each cluster, including core radii, and luminosity and mass estimates. Because we expect the results presented here to form the basis for several further projects, we describe in detail the data reduction and surface brightness profile construction processes, and compare our results with those of previous ground-based studies. The surface brightness profiles show a large amount of detail, including irregularities in the profiles of young clusters (such as bumps, dips, and sharp shoulders), and evidence for both double clusters and post core-collapse (PCC) clusters. In particular we find power-law profiles in the inner regions of several candidate PCC clusters, with slopes of approximately -0.7, but showing considerable variation. We estimate that 20 +/- 7 % of the old cluster population of the LMC has entered PCC evolution, a similar fraction to that for the Galactic globular cluster system. In addition, we examine the profile of R136 in detail and show that it is probably not a PCC cluster. We also observe a trend in core radius with age that has been discovered and discussed in several previous publications by different authors. Our diagram has better resolution however, and appears to show a bifurcation at several hundred Myr. We argue that this observed relationship reflects true physical evolution in LMC clusters, with some experiencing small scale core expansion due to mass loss, and others large scale expansion due to some unidentified characteristic or physical process.

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A. D. Mackey, G. F. Gilmore. 2002-09-02. Surface Brightness Profiles and Structural Parameters for 53 Rich Stellar Clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-8711.2003.06021.x

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