Reddening and Age for 12 Concentrated Large Magellanic Cloud Clusters Determined from Integrated Spectroscopy

PALMA, T.; AHUMADA, A. V.; CLARIÁ, J. J.; SANTOS, J. F. C., JR.; BICA, E.

ACTA ASTRONOMICA

COPERNICUS FOUNDATION POLISH ASTRONOMY

Lugar: Varsovia; Año: 2008 vol. 58 p. 359 - 372

0001-5237

We present flux-calibrated integrated spectra in the optical range (3700–6800 A) for a sample of 12 concentrated Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) star clusters, five of which do not have previous age and reddening determinations. We estimate simultaneously age and foreground reddening by comparing the continuum distribution and line strengths of the cluster spectra with those of template spectra. Cluster reddening values and ages are also derived from the available interstellar extinction maps and from the equivalent width (EW) method, respectively. The latter includes the use of age/metallicitycalibrations and diagnostic diagrams involving the sum of EWs of selected spectral lines. In general, cluster ages derived from both methods show good agreement and range from 40 Myr to 800 Myr, while the foreground reddening values vary from E(B-V) = 0.0 mag to 0.16 mag. The present cluster sample complements previous ones, in an effort to create a spectral library for the LMC with several clusters per age bin.