Integrated spectral properties of star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds

AHUMADA, A.V.; TALAVERA, M.L.; CLARIÁ, J.J.; SANTOS, J.F.C.; BICA, E.; PARISI, M.C.; TORRES, M.C.

Inlgaterra

Workshop; IAU Symposium 256: The Magellanic System: Stars, Gas, and Galaxies; 2008

Keele University

We present flux-calibrated integrated spectra in the optical spectral range of concentated star clusters in the Large and Small Magellanic Cloud (LMC-SMC), approximately half of which constitute unstudied objects. We have mainly estimated ages and foreground interstellar reddening values from the comparison of the line strengths and continuum distribution of the cluster spectra with those of template cluster spectra with known parameters. Also reddening values were estimated by interpolation between the extinction maps of Burstein & Heiles (1982) (BH). A good agreement between ages and reddenings derived from both procedures was found. The ages of the 27 LMC star clusters ranging from 5 to 125 Myr, while the ages of the 13 SMC ranging from 4 to 350 Myr.