Gemini Near-IR Photometry of the Arches Cluster near the Galactic Center

Abstract

We present Near-IR photometry of the Arches cluster, a young and massive stellar cluster near the Galactic center. We have analyzed the high resolution (FWHM 0.2") H and K' band images in the Galactic Center Demonstration Science Data Set, which were obtained with the Gemini/Hokupa's adaptive optics (AO) system. We present the color-magnitude diagram, the luminosity function and the initial mass function (IMF) of the stars in the Arches cluster in comparison with the HST/NICMOS data. The IMF slope for the range of 1.0< log(M/M_sun) <2.1 is estimated to be Gamma = -0.79+/-0.16, in good agreements with the earlier result based on the HST/NICMOS data [Figer et al. 1999, ApJ, 525, 750]. These results strengthen the evidence that the IMF of the bright stars close to the Galactic center is much flatter than that for the solar neighborhood. This is also consistent with a recent finding that the IMFs of the bright stars in young clusters in M33 get flatter as the galactocentric distance decreases [Lee et al. 2001, astro-ph 0109258]. It is found that the power of the Gemini/AO system is comparable, with some limits, to that of the HST/NICMOS.