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Session 11 - LMC, Dwarf Galaxies.
Display session, Monday, January 15
North Banquet Hall, Convention Center

[11.03] Stellar Populations in an Outer LMC Field As Revelaed by HST Imaging

J. A. Holtzman (NMSU), J. S. Gallagher III (U. Wisconsin, Madison), J. Mould (MSO), WFPC2 Science Team

An outer field in the LMC was observed using the WFPC2 on the HST. These data allow accurate photometry fainter than the oldest main sequence turnoff. The structure seen in a color-magnitude diagram brighter than the oldest turnoff constrains the star formation history in this field. We find that star formation has been ongoing for the past several billion years, but the rate has not been constant. Measurement of the luminosity function of the lower main sequence can be used to directly constrain the IMF in the field, indendent of the star formation history; we find a roughly normal IMF.

Program listing for Monday