PADISCLUSDPA · The photometric evolution and age determinations of unresolved star clusters: the effect of selective mass loss from dissolving clusters
FP6 — Marie Curie Actions (Human Resources and Mobility)
- Duration
- 2007-10-01 → 2009-09-30
- EU contribution
- €141,337
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- EIF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Final Activity and Management Report Summary - PADISCLUSDPA (The photometric evolution and age determinations of unresolved star clusters: The effect of selective mass loss from dissolving clusters)
The studies of Dr Anders cover a range of topics, both in the fields of theoretical and observational astrophysics. This research duality, testing new theoretical models with observations and being inspired to new theoretical approaches in order to understand observations better, is strongly needed in modern astrophysics research. Careful comparison of models with observations can give information of the object's nature, its physical parameters and the evolution of its environment. Only this model-observation comparison allows the study of stars, galaxies, the whole universe and their interaction & evolution. The most relevant part of his theoretical research is a constant controlling of the models and inclusion (and testing) of new model ingredients. Without this constant testing, the models might contain uncertainties and the model-observation comparison might result in erroneously determined physical parameters. Scientific advances can only be achieved with this controlling, testing and continuous model extensions. Collaborations with a large number of scientists from various institutes around the world, and associated publications, attest the importance of his work.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Star clusters, even unresolved, are ideal chronometers for the study of the star formation history of normal and starburst galaxies in the local Universe. Star cluster ages and masses can be derived from their spectra/photometry by comparing these with cluster evolution models. However, presently available spectrophotometric cluster evolution models do not take into account cluster disruption, mass segregation and the preferential ejection of low-mass stars from the clusters and the resulting changes in the clusters' stellar mass function, effects both seen and of great importance in observations and dynamical cluster models. This leads to (potentially large) errors in cluster age determinations and in the derived star formation histories of galaxies if standard" approaches are taken. We will study the disruption of clusters and changes in their mass function in various environments, using N-body simulations including mass segregation and binary stars.This will be combined with a n improved version of a state-of-the-art cluster evolution program to produce the next generation of spectrophotometric cluster models (spectra, magnitudes, colours, spectral indices) as a function of the physical parameters of the cluster (age, mass, metallicity) and the disruption time scale (intrinsic host galaxy's property)."
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- UTRECHT UNIVERSITY · UTRECHTCoordinatorNetherlands
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union