Star Clusters in the Near-ultraviolet-optical-near-infrared: Spectral Energy Distribution Modeling with Direct Markers of Gas and Dust Emission
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The large number of star clusters in nearby galaxies permits us to statistically test the predictions of stellar, dust, and gas models. Using Hubble Space Telescope (HST) broadband plus H α imaging combined with JWST near-infrared imaging, we use a total of 10 filters spanning near-ultraviolet through near-infrared wavelengths to model key physical parameters, including age, mass, and reddening, of 6130 star clusters in 16 nearby spiral galaxies from the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS sample, focusing on their ages, masses, and reddenings. We find that HST/H α and JWST/NIRCam 2–3.6 μ m photometry significantly improves our ability to disentangle the age–reddening degeneracy between young, gas- and dust-rich clusters and older, dustless clusters. The near-infrared data provide strong constraints on hot continuum dust and small polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission for populations where gas and dust are present. These hot dust constraints demonstrate that Bruzual & Charlot stellar population models do not align with the observed near-ultraviolet-optical-near-infrared spectral energy distributions of star clusters in the first 10 Myr. We note that for old and low-metallicity globular clusters, the inclusion of narrowband H α and/or broadband near-infrared data does not improve the determination of age and reddening parameters, due to the lack of stars capable of heating dust in the near-infrared regime.
Source: The Astrophysical Journal
Authors: Kiana F. Henny, Daniel A. Dale, Rupali Chandar, Médéric Boquien, David A. Thilker, Bradley C. Whitmore, Janice C. Lee, M. Jimena Rodriguez, Daniel Maschmann, Aida Wofford, Rémy Indebetouw, Leonardo Úbeda, Brent Groves, Hamid Hassani, Kirsten L. Larson, Thomas G. Williams, Kathryn Grasha, Francesca Pinna, Stephen Hannon
Institutions: University of Wyoming, University of Toledo, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Côte d'Azur, Lagrange Laboratory, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Johns Hopkins University, Space Telescope Science Institute, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Astrofísica de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, University of California San Diego, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, University of Virginia, The University of Western Australia, International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research, University of Alberta, University of Oxford, Australian National University, ASTRO-3D, ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics, Universidad de La Laguna, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,499
Awards: G5404832965, G880779785
OpenAlex ID: W4414253085