Engineering topics

Ewald, S. P.

Publications and source records attributed to Ewald, S. P..

7 records

NASA NTRS1994

WFPC2 observations of the double cluster NGC 1850 in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Hubble Space Telescope-Wide Field/Planetary Camera-2 (HST-WFPC2) optical and ultraviolet imaging observations of the young double cluster NGC 1850 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) are presented. The main cluster, NGC 1850A, is a globular-like cluster and has an age of 50 +/- 10 Myr, while the subcluster, NGC 1850B, which is more loosely distributed, is very young at 4.3 +/- 0.9 Myr. Its young age is confirmed by the detection of a pre-main-sequence population of stars associated to it. The two clusters have considerably different IMF slopes, with the main cluster having a flat slope (f(m) proportional to m(exp -1.4 +/- 0.2)) and the young cluster a much steeper one (f(m) proportional to m(exp -2.6 +/- -0.1)). The LMC field star population displays a broad range of ages, from approximately 0.5 Gyr up to more than 4 Gyr.

Gilmozzi, R.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Planetary camera observations of the double nucleus of M31

HST Planetary Camera images obtained in the V and I band for M31 show its inner nucleus to consist of two components that are separated by 0.49 arcsec. The nuclear component with lower surface brightness closely coincides with the bulge photocenter and is argued to be at the kinematic center of the galaxy. It is surmised that, if dust absorption generates the asymmetric nuclear morphology observed, the dust grain size must either be exceptionally large, or the dust optical depth must be extremely high; the higher surface-brightness and off-center nuclear component may alternatively be a separate stellar system.

Lauer, Tod R.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Planetary camera observations of the central parsec of M32

New HST observations are reported which show that the M32 nucleus is extremely dense, with rho0 not less than 4 x 10 exp 6 solar masses/cu pc if M32 has a core with rc not greater than 0.37 pc, and rho0 greater than 3 x 10 exp 7 solar masses/cu pc if it instead has a central r exp -1/2 cusp. Limits on the M32 core radius are nearly three times smaller, and those on the central density at least four times greater, than values inferred from the best ground-based observations. A central relaxation that is almost an order of magnitude shorter than previous estimates is inferred from the new core parameters; a shorter stellar collision time is also inferred. It is argued that a starlight cusp surrounds the central black hole.

Lauer, Tod R.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Planetary Camera observations of NGC 1275 - Discovery of a central population of compact massive blue star clusters

The discovery of a population of bright blue pointlike sources within 5 kpc of the nucleus of NGC 1275 using HST Planetary Camera observations is reported. The typical object has MV of about -12 to -14. They are all blue, with V - R of less than about 0.3. The color distribution and lack of excess H-alpha emission are consistent with nearly all being continuum sources. Many sources are unresolved even with the HST and consequently have sizes of less than about 15 pc. It is suggested that these are young star clusters that will evolve to look like globular clusters. They are bluer than any clusters seen in the Milky Way or M87, and brighter than the blue clusters seen in the LMC. Ages of several hundred million years or less and corresponding masses of 10 exp 5 - 10 exp 8 solar masses are derived.

Holtzman, Jon A.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Planetary Camera observations of the M87 stellar cusp

Results are presented of an analysis of V- and I-band HST Planetary Camera images of the giant elliptical galaxy M87 which show that its central starlight distribution is consistent with the black hole 2.6 x 10 exp 9-solar-mass cup model proposed for M87 by Young et al. (1978). A combined approach of image deconvolution and modeling is used to investigate the starlight distribution into limiting radii of about 0.04 arcsec. The central structure of M87 is described by three components: a power-law starlight profile of the form mu(r) varies as r exp -1/4 for r of less than 3 arcsec, a central nonthermal point source, and optical counterparts of the jet knots N1 and M identified by VLBI observations.

Lauer, Tod R.↗

NASA NTRS1991

The core of the nearby S0 galaxy NGC 7457 imaged with the HST planetary camera

A brief analysis is presented of images of the nearby S0 galaxy NGC 7457 obtained with the HST Planetary Camera. While the galaxy remains unresolved with the HST, the images reveal that any core most likely has r(c) less than 0.052 arcsec. The light distribution is consistent with a gamma = -1.0 power law inward to the resolution limit, with a possible stellar nucleus with luminosity of 10 million solar. This result represents the first observation outside the Local Group of a galaxy nucleus at this spatial resolution, and it suggests that such small, high surface brightness cores may be common.

Lauer, Tod R.↗

NASA NTRS1991

The postcollapse core of M15 imaged with the HST planetary camera

It is shown here that, despite the severe spherical aberration present in the HST, the Wide Field/Planetary Camera (WFPC) images still present useful high-resolution information on M15, the classic candidate for a cluster with a collapsed core. The stars in M15 have been resolved down to the main-sequence turnoff and have been subtracted from the images. The remaining faint, unresolved stars form a diffuse background with a surprisingly large core with r(c) = 0.13 pc. The existence of a large core interior to the power-law cusp may imply that M15 has evolved well past maximum core collapse and may rule out the presence of a massive central black hole as well.

Lauer, Tod R.↗