An initial mass function study of the dwarf starburst galaxy NGC 4214

J. E. Andrews; D. Calzetti; R. Chandar; J. C. Lee; B. G. Elmegreen; R. C. Kennicutt; B. Whitmore; J. S. Kissel; Robert L. Da Silva; Mark R. Krumholz; R. W. O'Connell; M. A. Dopita; Jay A. Frogel; Hwihyun Kim

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/767/1/51

An initial mass function study of the dwarf starburst galaxy NGC 4214

J. E. Andrews^*, D. Calzetti, R. Chandar, J. C. Lee, B. G. Elmegreen, R. C. Kennicutt, B. Whitmore, J. S. Kissel, Robert L. Da Silva, Mark R. Krumholz, R. W. O'Connell, M. A. Dopita, Jay A. Frogel, Hwihyun Kim

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The production rate of ionizing photons in young (≤8 Myr), unresolved stellar clusters in the nearby irregular galaxy NGC 4214 is probed using multi-wavelength Hubble Space Telescope WFC3 data. We normalize the ionizing photon rate by the cluster mass to investigate the upper end of the stellar initial mass function (IMF). We have found that within the uncertainties the upper end of the stellar IMF appears to be universal in this galaxy, and that deviations from a universal IMF can be attributed to stochastic sampling of stars in clusters with masses 10³M_O. Furthermore, we have found that there does not seem to be a dependence of the maximum stellar mass on the cluster mass. We have also found that for massive clusters, feedback may cause an underrepresentation in Hα luminosities, which needs to be taken into account when conducting this type of analysis.

Original language	English
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	767
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/767/1/51
Publication status	Published - 10 Apr 2013

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@article{40c41594442349a58582cb98f5853ca8,

title = "An initial mass function study of the dwarf starburst galaxy NGC 4214",

abstract = "The production rate of ionizing photons in young (≤8 Myr), unresolved stellar clusters in the nearby irregular galaxy NGC 4214 is probed using multi-wavelength Hubble Space Telescope WFC3 data. We normalize the ionizing photon rate by the cluster mass to investigate the upper end of the stellar initial mass function (IMF). We have found that within the uncertainties the upper end of the stellar IMF appears to be universal in this galaxy, and that deviations from a universal IMF can be attributed to stochastic sampling of stars in clusters with masses 103MO. Furthermore, we have found that there does not seem to be a dependence of the maximum stellar mass on the cluster mass. We have also found that for massive clusters, feedback may cause an underrepresentation in Hα luminosities, which needs to be taken into account when conducting this type of analysis.",

keywords = "galaxies: individual (NGC 4214), galaxies: star clusters: general, galaxies: star formation, stars: luminosity function, mass function, stars: massive",

author = "Andrews, {J. E.} and D. Calzetti and R. Chandar and Lee, {J. C.} and Elmegreen, {B. G.} and Kennicutt, {R. C.} and B. Whitmore and Kissel, {J. S.} and {Da Silva}, {Robert L.} and Krumholz, {Mark R.} and O'Connell, {R. W.} and Dopita, {M. A.} and Frogel, {Jay A.} and Hwihyun Kim",

year = "2013",

month = apr,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1088/0004-637X/767/1/51",

language = "English",

volume = "767",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - An initial mass function study of the dwarf starburst galaxy NGC 4214

AU - Andrews, J. E.

AU - Calzetti, D.

AU - Chandar, R.

AU - Lee, J. C.

AU - Elmegreen, B. G.

AU - Kennicutt, R. C.

AU - Whitmore, B.

AU - Kissel, J. S.

AU - Da Silva, Robert L.

AU - Krumholz, Mark R.

AU - O'Connell, R. W.

AU - Dopita, M. A.

AU - Frogel, Jay A.

AU - Kim, Hwihyun

PY - 2013/4/10

Y1 - 2013/4/10

N2 - The production rate of ionizing photons in young (≤8 Myr), unresolved stellar clusters in the nearby irregular galaxy NGC 4214 is probed using multi-wavelength Hubble Space Telescope WFC3 data. We normalize the ionizing photon rate by the cluster mass to investigate the upper end of the stellar initial mass function (IMF). We have found that within the uncertainties the upper end of the stellar IMF appears to be universal in this galaxy, and that deviations from a universal IMF can be attributed to stochastic sampling of stars in clusters with masses 103MO. Furthermore, we have found that there does not seem to be a dependence of the maximum stellar mass on the cluster mass. We have also found that for massive clusters, feedback may cause an underrepresentation in Hα luminosities, which needs to be taken into account when conducting this type of analysis.

AB - The production rate of ionizing photons in young (≤8 Myr), unresolved stellar clusters in the nearby irregular galaxy NGC 4214 is probed using multi-wavelength Hubble Space Telescope WFC3 data. We normalize the ionizing photon rate by the cluster mass to investigate the upper end of the stellar initial mass function (IMF). We have found that within the uncertainties the upper end of the stellar IMF appears to be universal in this galaxy, and that deviations from a universal IMF can be attributed to stochastic sampling of stars in clusters with masses 103MO. Furthermore, we have found that there does not seem to be a dependence of the maximum stellar mass on the cluster mass. We have also found that for massive clusters, feedback may cause an underrepresentation in Hα luminosities, which needs to be taken into account when conducting this type of analysis.

KW - galaxies: individual (NGC 4214)

KW - galaxies: star clusters: general

KW - galaxies: star formation

KW - stars: luminosity function, mass function

KW - stars: massive

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84875684346&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/0004-637X/767/1/51

DO - 10.1088/0004-637X/767/1/51

M3 - Article

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 767

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1

ER -

An initial mass function study of the dwarf starburst galaxy NGC 4214

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