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Title

Formation of star clusters in the large magellanic cloud and small magellanic cloud I : preliminary results on cluster formation from colliding gas clouds

Author(s)

Bekki, Kenji;  Beasley, Michael A.;  Forbes, Duncan A.;  Couch, Warrick J.

Abstract

We demonstrate that single and binary star clusters can be formed during cloud-cloud collisions triggered by the tidal interaction between the Large and Small Magellanic clouds. We run two different sets of self-consistent numerical simulations that show that compact, bound star clusters can be formed within the centers of two colliding clouds as a result of strong gaseous shocks, compression, and dissipation, provided that the clouds have moderately large relative velocities (10-60 km s-1). The impact parameter determines whether the two colliding clouds become a single or a binary cluster. The star formation efficiency in the colliding clouds is dependent on the initial ratio of the relative velocity of the clouds to the sound speed of the gas. Based on these results, we discuss the observed larger fraction of binary clusters, and star clusters with high ellipticity, in the Magellanic clouds.

Publication type

Journal article

Research centre

Swinburne University of Technology. School of Biophysical Sciences and Electrical Engineering. Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing

Source

Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 602, pt. 1 (2004), pp. 730-737

Publication year

2004

Keyword(s)

Galaxies;  Star clusters;  Magellanic clouds

Publisher

University of Chicago Press

ISSN

0004-637X

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/381171

Copyright

Copyright © 2004 The American Astronomical Society. Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher.

Full text

Peer reviewed