Open AccessThe star formation histories of two northern LMC fields
Author(s) -
Dolphin A. E.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2000.03197.x
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , large magellanic cloud , star formation , distance modulus , metallicity , photometry (optics) , astronomy , extinction (optical mineralogy) , star (game theory) , stars , optics
Ground‐based UBV photometry of two fields in the northern disc of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is presented. A distance modulus of ( m − M ) 0 =18.41±0.04 and an extinction of A V =0.30±0.05 have been calculated for these fields. The measurable star formation history of the LMC began no more than 12 Gyr ago with a strong star‐forming episode with [Fe/H]=−1.63±0.10 that accounted for approximately half (by mass) of the total star formation of the LMC in the first 3 Gyr. The data do not give accurate star formation rates during intermediate ages, but there appears to have been a recent increase in the star formation rate in these fields, beginning approximately 2.5 Gyr ago, with the current metallicity in the region being [Fe/H]=−0.38±0.10. The two fields have had very similar star formation rates until 200 Myr ago, at which point one shows a large increase.