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Stellar Luminosity and Mass Functions of Globular Clusters1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2016

Giampaolo Piotto
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Astronomia, Università di Padova, Vicolo dell'Osservatorio 5, I-35122 Padova, Italy
Adrienne M. Cool
Affiliation:
Astronomy Department, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3411, U.S.A.
Ivan R. King
Affiliation:
Astronomy Department, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3411, U.S.A.

Abstract

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HST makes it possible for the first time to study nearly the entire mass range of globular-cluster main sequences, from the turnoff down almost to the theoretical limit for hydrogen ignition. We present main-sequence luminosity functions (LFs) for four clusters that include stars with M < 0.15M in all cases. We compare these and other LFs that have been obtained with HST for a total of five globulars to date. Two of the three clusters in the sample that have similar metallicities have nearly identical LFs, while the third is relatively deficient in low mass stars. Possible implications of this finding are briefly discussed. Inferred mass functions vary significantly depending on the mass-luminosity relations that are adopted.

Type
New Observations with HST
Copyright
Copyright © Kluwer 1996 

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