A multifrequency study of the Magellanic Clouds

Western Sydney University thesis: Doctoral thesis

Abstract

The Magellanic Clouds (MCs), comprising of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) (Fig. 1.1) and the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) (Fig. 1.2), less than a tenth of our Galaxy in size, are irregular dwarf galaxies orbiting close to our own Galaxy (at distances of 179,000 (di Benedetto 2008) and 210,000 (Hilditch et al. 2005) light years respectively) covering an angular size on the sky of about 36 square degrees. Figure 1.3 provides a schematic view of the MCs positions in relation to our own galaxy. Some of the interesting objects within the MCs are di?use nebulae, globular and open clusters, planetary nebulae (PNe) and supernova remnants (SNRs). The recent supernova 1987A occurred in the LMC. The stars in the MCs provide the nearest examples of young intermediate-to-low chemical abundance (low metallicity environment) stellar populations and this suggests that star formation in the LMC is a recent phenomenon, and is occurring because of the tidal force disruption caused by our own Galaxy. Therefore dynamics and the consequences of the interaction of the LMC with our Galaxy, and the LMC-SMC interactions are of great interest. The close and known proximity of the MCs provides us with excellent opportunity to investigate the interstellar medium, dynamics, star formation, evolution processes and related polarisation and magnetic fields. The lower dust to gas ratio than our own Galaxy, provides animportant understanding of a di?erent interstellar medium (ISM).
Date of Award2015
Original languageEnglish

Keywords

  • supernova remnants
  • nebulae
  • radio astronomy
  • Magellanic Clouds

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