The macho project LMC variable star inventory. VIII. The recent star formation history of the large magellanic cloud from the cepheid period distribution

C. Alcock; R. A. Allsman; D. R. Alves; T. S. Axelrod; A. C. Becker; D. P. Bennett; D. F. Bersier; K. H. Cook; K. C. Freeman; K. Griest; J. A. Guern; M. Lehner; S. L. Marshall; D. Minniti; B. A. Peterson; M. R. Pratt; P. J. Quinn; A. W. Rodgers; C. W. Stubbs; W. Sutherland; A. Tomaney; T. Vandehei; D. L. Welch

doi:10.1086/300736

The macho project LMC variable star inventory. VIII. The recent star formation history of the large magellanic cloud from the cepheid period distribution

C. Alcock, R. A. Allsman, D. R. Alves, T. S. Axelrod, A. C. Becker, D. P. Bennett, D. F. Bersier, K. H. Cook, K. C. Freeman, K. Griest, J. A. Guern, M. Lehner, S. L. Marshall, D. Minniti, B. A. Peterson, M. R. Pratt, P. J. Quinn, A. W. Rodgers, C. W. Stubbs, W. SutherlandA. Tomaney, T. Vandehei, D. L. Welch

Exact Sciences School

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Abstract

We present an analysis of the period distribution of about 1800 Cepheids in the LMC, based on data obtained by the MACHO microlensing experiment and on a previous catalog by C. H. Payne Gaposchkin. Using stellar evolution and pulsation models, we construct theoretical period-frequency distributions that are compared with the observations. These models reveal that a significant burst of star formation has occurred recently in the LMC (∼1.15 × 10⁸ yr). We also show that during the last ∼ 10⁸ yr, the main center of star formation has been propagating from southeast to northwest along the bar. We find that the evolutionary masses of Cepheids are still smaller than pulsation masses by ∼7% and that the red edge of the Cepheid instability strip could be slightly bluer than indicated by theory. There are approximately 600 Cepheids with periods below ∼2.5 days that cannot be explained by evolution theory. We suggest that they are anomalous Cepheids and that a number of these stars are double-mode Cepheids.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	920-926
Number of pages	7
Journal	Astronomical Journal
Volume	117
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/300736
Publication status	Published - Feb 1999

Keywords

Cepheids
Magellanic clouds
Stars: formation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1086/300736

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Alcock, C., Allsman, R. A., Alves, D. R., Axelrod, T. S., Becker, A. C., Bennett, D. P., Bersier, D. F., Cook, K. H., Freeman, K. C., Griest, K., Guern, J. A., Lehner, M., Marshall, S. L., Minniti, D., Peterson, B. A., Pratt, M. R., Quinn, P. J., Rodgers, A. W., Stubbs, C. W., ... Welch, D. L. (1999). The macho project LMC variable star inventory. VIII. The recent star formation history of the large magellanic cloud from the cepheid period distribution. Astronomical Journal, 117(2), 920-926. https://doi.org/10.1086/300736

@article{499b25ea4dad41ae8eab72c1d0257282,

title = "The macho project LMC variable star inventory. VIII. The recent star formation history of the large magellanic cloud from the cepheid period distribution",

abstract = "We present an analysis of the period distribution of about 1800 Cepheids in the LMC, based on data obtained by the MACHO microlensing experiment and on a previous catalog by C. H. Payne Gaposchkin. Using stellar evolution and pulsation models, we construct theoretical period-frequency distributions that are compared with the observations. These models reveal that a significant burst of star formation has occurred recently in the LMC (∼1.15 × 108 yr). We also show that during the last ∼ 108 yr, the main center of star formation has been propagating from southeast to northwest along the bar. We find that the evolutionary masses of Cepheids are still smaller than pulsation masses by ∼7% and that the red edge of the Cepheid instability strip could be slightly bluer than indicated by theory. There are approximately 600 Cepheids with periods below ∼2.5 days that cannot be explained by evolution theory. We suggest that they are anomalous Cepheids and that a number of these stars are double-mode Cepheids.",

keywords = "Cepheids, Magellanic clouds, Stars: formation",

author = "C. Alcock and Allsman, {R. A.} and Alves, {D. R.} and Axelrod, {T. S.} and Becker, {A. C.} and Bennett, {D. P.} and Bersier, {D. F.} and Cook, {K. H.} and Freeman, {K. C.} and K. Griest and Guern, {J. A.} and M. Lehner and Marshall, {S. L.} and D. Minniti and Peterson, {B. A.} and Pratt, {M. R.} and Quinn, {P. J.} and Rodgers, {A. W.} and Stubbs, {C. W.} and W. Sutherland and A. Tomaney and T. Vandehei and Welch, {D. L.}",

year = "1999",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1086/300736",

language = "English",

volume = "117",

pages = "920--926",

journal = "Astronomical Journal",

issn = "0004-6256",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "2",

}

Alcock, C, Allsman, RA, Alves, DR, Axelrod, TS, Becker, AC, Bennett, DP, Bersier, DF, Cook, KH, Freeman, KC, Griest, K, Guern, JA, Lehner, M, Marshall, SL, Minniti, D, Peterson, BA, Pratt, MR, Quinn, PJ, Rodgers, AW, Stubbs, CW, Sutherland, W, Tomaney, A, Vandehei, T & Welch, DL 1999, 'The macho project LMC variable star inventory. VIII. The recent star formation history of the large magellanic cloud from the cepheid period distribution', Astronomical Journal, vol. 117, no. 2, pp. 920-926. https://doi.org/10.1086/300736

TY - JOUR

T1 - The macho project LMC variable star inventory. VIII. The recent star formation history of the large magellanic cloud from the cepheid period distribution

AU - Alcock, C.

AU - Allsman, R. A.

AU - Alves, D. R.

AU - Axelrod, T. S.

AU - Becker, A. C.

AU - Bennett, D. P.

AU - Bersier, D. F.

AU - Cook, K. H.

AU - Freeman, K. C.

AU - Griest, K.

AU - Guern, J. A.

AU - Lehner, M.

AU - Marshall, S. L.

AU - Minniti, D.

AU - Peterson, B. A.

AU - Pratt, M. R.

AU - Quinn, P. J.

AU - Rodgers, A. W.

AU - Stubbs, C. W.

AU - Sutherland, W.

AU - Tomaney, A.

AU - Vandehei, T.

AU - Welch, D. L.

PY - 1999/2

Y1 - 1999/2

N2 - We present an analysis of the period distribution of about 1800 Cepheids in the LMC, based on data obtained by the MACHO microlensing experiment and on a previous catalog by C. H. Payne Gaposchkin. Using stellar evolution and pulsation models, we construct theoretical period-frequency distributions that are compared with the observations. These models reveal that a significant burst of star formation has occurred recently in the LMC (∼1.15 × 108 yr). We also show that during the last ∼ 108 yr, the main center of star formation has been propagating from southeast to northwest along the bar. We find that the evolutionary masses of Cepheids are still smaller than pulsation masses by ∼7% and that the red edge of the Cepheid instability strip could be slightly bluer than indicated by theory. There are approximately 600 Cepheids with periods below ∼2.5 days that cannot be explained by evolution theory. We suggest that they are anomalous Cepheids and that a number of these stars are double-mode Cepheids.

AB - We present an analysis of the period distribution of about 1800 Cepheids in the LMC, based on data obtained by the MACHO microlensing experiment and on a previous catalog by C. H. Payne Gaposchkin. Using stellar evolution and pulsation models, we construct theoretical period-frequency distributions that are compared with the observations. These models reveal that a significant burst of star formation has occurred recently in the LMC (∼1.15 × 108 yr). We also show that during the last ∼ 108 yr, the main center of star formation has been propagating from southeast to northwest along the bar. We find that the evolutionary masses of Cepheids are still smaller than pulsation masses by ∼7% and that the red edge of the Cepheid instability strip could be slightly bluer than indicated by theory. There are approximately 600 Cepheids with periods below ∼2.5 days that cannot be explained by evolution theory. We suggest that they are anomalous Cepheids and that a number of these stars are double-mode Cepheids.

KW - Cepheids

KW - Magellanic clouds

KW - Stars: formation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0039938831&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1086/300736

DO - 10.1086/300736

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0039938831

SN - 0004-6256

VL - 117

SP - 920

EP - 926

JO - Astronomical Journal

JF - Astronomical Journal

IS - 2

ER -

The macho project LMC variable star inventory. VIII. The recent star formation history of the large magellanic cloud from the cepheid period distribution

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Keywords

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