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D. A. Thilker, L. Bianchi (Johns Hopkins University), GALEX Science Team
The GALEX Nearby Galaxy Survey (NGS: see Bianchi et al., this meeting) is providing dedicated GALEX FUV and NUV imaging for a representative sample of galaxies in the local universe. These ``benchmark" observations are of great relevance to understand the evolution of high-z galaxy populations, as the rest-frame UV morphology provides unsurpassed diagnostic in the present epoch.
Along with multi-wavelength corollary data, the GALEX images will be used to characterize resolved star-forming clusters and complexes spanning a wide range of spatial scales. Via comparison with population synthesis models we concurrently determine age, total stellar mass, Lbol, and effective attenuation. Furthermore, the multivariate luminosity function of stellar clusters is used to constrain parameters which govern their formation (such as the slope and limits of the cluster mass function). Finally, we explore applicability of the IRX-Beta relation in the special case of discrete stellar clusters. In the present talk, we present results for M51 and M101 based on deep UV imaging with GALEX, in addition to data from SDSS, 2MASS, ISO and numerous emission line filters.
Acknowledgement: GALEX (Galaxy Evolution Explorer) is a NASA Small Explorer, launched in April 2003. We gratefully acknowledge NASA's support for construction, operation, and science analysis for the GALEX mission.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35#5
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.