The VMC Survey. XXIX. Turbulence-controlled hierarchical star formation in the Small Magellanic Cloud

Ning Chen Sun; Richard De Grijs; Maria-Rosa L. Cioni; Stefano Rubele; Smitha Subramanian; Jacco Th van Loon; Kenji Bekki; Cameron P.M. Bell; Valentin D. Ivanov; Marcella Marconi; Tatiana Muraveva; Joana M. Oliveira; Vincenzo Ripepi

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aabc50

The VMC Survey. XXIX. Turbulence-controlled hierarchical star formation in the Small Magellanic Cloud

Ning Chen Sun, Richard De Grijs, Maria-Rosa L. Cioni, Stefano Rubele, Smitha Subramanian, Jacco Th van Loon, Kenji Bekki, Cameron P.M. Bell, Valentin D. Ivanov, Marcella Marconi, Tatiana Muraveva, Joana M. Oliveira, Vincenzo Ripepi

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

14 Citations (Scopus)

6 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

In this paper we report a clustering analysis of upper main-sequence stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud, using data from the VMC survey (the VISTA near-infrared YJK _s survey of the Magellanic system). Young stellar structures are identified as surface overdensities on a range of significance levels. They are found to be organized in a hierarchical pattern, such that larger structures at lower significance levels contain smaller ones at higher significance levels. They have very irregular morphologies, with a perimeter-area dimension of 1.44 ± 0.02 for their projected boundaries. They have a power-law mass-size relation, power-law size/mass distributions, and a log-normal surface density distribution. We derive a projected fractal dimension of 1.48 ± 0.03 from the mass-size relation, or of 1.4 ± 0.1 from the size distribution, reflecting significant lumpiness of the young stellar structures. These properties are remarkably similar to those of a turbulent interstellar medium, supporting a scenario of hierarchical star formation regulated by supersonic turbulence.

Original language	English
Article number	31
Pages (from-to)	1-15
Number of pages	15
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	858
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aabc50
Publication status	Published - 3 May 2018

Bibliographical note

Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

galaxies: star clusters: general
infrared: stars
Magellanic Clouds
stars: formation

Access to Document

10.3847/1538-4357/aabc50Licence: CC BY

Publisher version (open access)Final published version, 2 MBLicence: CC BY

Link to publication in Scopus

Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'The VMC Survey. XXIX. Turbulence-controlled hierarchical star formation in the Small Magellanic Cloud'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this

Sun, Ning Chen ; De Grijs, Richard ; Cioni, Maria-Rosa L. ; Rubele, Stefano ; Subramanian, Smitha ; van Loon, Jacco Th ; Bekki, Kenji ; Bell, Cameron P.M. ; Ivanov, Valentin D. ; Marconi, Marcella ; Muraveva, Tatiana ; Oliveira, Joana M. ; Ripepi, Vincenzo. / The VMC Survey. XXIX. Turbulence-controlled hierarchical star formation in the Small Magellanic Cloud. In: Astrophysical Journal. 2018 ; Vol. 858, No. 1. pp. 1-15.

@article{4719820a19fc48cfb0d26a6e3d14a3cf,

title = "The VMC Survey. XXIX. Turbulence-controlled hierarchical star formation in the Small Magellanic Cloud",

abstract = "In this paper we report a clustering analysis of upper main-sequence stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud, using data from the VMC survey (the VISTA near-infrared YJK s survey of the Magellanic system). Young stellar structures are identified as surface overdensities on a range of significance levels. They are found to be organized in a hierarchical pattern, such that larger structures at lower significance levels contain smaller ones at higher significance levels. They have very irregular morphologies, with a perimeter-area dimension of 1.44 ± 0.02 for their projected boundaries. They have a power-law mass-size relation, power-law size/mass distributions, and a log-normal surface density distribution. We derive a projected fractal dimension of 1.48 ± 0.03 from the mass-size relation, or of 1.4 ± 0.1 from the size distribution, reflecting significant lumpiness of the young stellar structures. These properties are remarkably similar to those of a turbulent interstellar medium, supporting a scenario of hierarchical star formation regulated by supersonic turbulence.",

keywords = "galaxies: star clusters: general, infrared: stars, Magellanic Clouds, stars: formation",

author = "Sun, {Ning Chen} and {De Grijs}, Richard and Cioni, {Maria-Rosa L.} and Stefano Rubele and Smitha Subramanian and {van Loon}, {Jacco Th} and Kenji Bekki and Bell, {Cameron P.M.} and Ivanov, {Valentin D.} and Marcella Marconi and Tatiana Muraveva and Oliveira, {Joana M.} and Vincenzo Ripepi",

note = "Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.",

year = "2018",

month = "5",

day = "3",

doi = "10.3847/1538-4357/aabc50",

language = "English",

volume = "858",

pages = "1--15",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

issn = "0004-637X",

publisher = "IOP Publishing",

number = "1",

}

The VMC Survey. XXIX. Turbulence-controlled hierarchical star formation in the Small Magellanic Cloud. / Sun, Ning Chen; De Grijs, Richard; Cioni, Maria-Rosa L.; Rubele, Stefano; Subramanian, Smitha; van Loon, Jacco Th; Bekki, Kenji; Bell, Cameron P.M.; Ivanov, Valentin D.; Marconi, Marcella; Muraveva, Tatiana; Oliveira, Joana M.; Ripepi, Vincenzo.

In: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 858, No. 1, 31, 03.05.2018, p. 1-15.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

TY - JOUR

T1 - The VMC Survey. XXIX. Turbulence-controlled hierarchical star formation in the Small Magellanic Cloud

AU - Sun, Ning Chen

AU - De Grijs, Richard

AU - Cioni, Maria-Rosa L.

AU - Rubele, Stefano

AU - Subramanian, Smitha

AU - van Loon, Jacco Th

AU - Bekki, Kenji

AU - Bell, Cameron P.M.

AU - Ivanov, Valentin D.

AU - Marconi, Marcella

AU - Muraveva, Tatiana

AU - Oliveira, Joana M.

AU - Ripepi, Vincenzo

N1 - Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2018/5/3

Y1 - 2018/5/3

N2 - In this paper we report a clustering analysis of upper main-sequence stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud, using data from the VMC survey (the VISTA near-infrared YJK s survey of the Magellanic system). Young stellar structures are identified as surface overdensities on a range of significance levels. They are found to be organized in a hierarchical pattern, such that larger structures at lower significance levels contain smaller ones at higher significance levels. They have very irregular morphologies, with a perimeter-area dimension of 1.44 ± 0.02 for their projected boundaries. They have a power-law mass-size relation, power-law size/mass distributions, and a log-normal surface density distribution. We derive a projected fractal dimension of 1.48 ± 0.03 from the mass-size relation, or of 1.4 ± 0.1 from the size distribution, reflecting significant lumpiness of the young stellar structures. These properties are remarkably similar to those of a turbulent interstellar medium, supporting a scenario of hierarchical star formation regulated by supersonic turbulence.

AB - In this paper we report a clustering analysis of upper main-sequence stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud, using data from the VMC survey (the VISTA near-infrared YJK s survey of the Magellanic system). Young stellar structures are identified as surface overdensities on a range of significance levels. They are found to be organized in a hierarchical pattern, such that larger structures at lower significance levels contain smaller ones at higher significance levels. They have very irregular morphologies, with a perimeter-area dimension of 1.44 ± 0.02 for their projected boundaries. They have a power-law mass-size relation, power-law size/mass distributions, and a log-normal surface density distribution. We derive a projected fractal dimension of 1.48 ± 0.03 from the mass-size relation, or of 1.4 ± 0.1 from the size distribution, reflecting significant lumpiness of the young stellar structures. These properties are remarkably similar to those of a turbulent interstellar medium, supporting a scenario of hierarchical star formation regulated by supersonic turbulence.

KW - galaxies: star clusters: general

KW - infrared: stars

KW - Magellanic Clouds

KW - stars: formation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85047432935&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3847/1538-4357/aabc50

DO - 10.3847/1538-4357/aabc50

M3 - Article

VL - 858

SP - 1

EP - 15

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

SN - 0004-637X

IS - 1

M1 - 31

ER -