The Star Cluster Populations of Compact Galaxy Groups

TL;DR

This study analyzes star cluster populations in seven compact galaxy groups to infer their star formation histories and explore their evolutionary stages, using cluster age distributions as key indicators.

Contribution

It presents a comparative analysis linking cluster age distributions to the evolutionary sequence of compact galaxy groups.

Findings

Cluster age distributions vary across groups

Star formation histories correlate with evolutionary stages

Clusters serve as effective tracers of galaxy group evolution

Abstract

Star clusters are ideal tracers of star formation activity in systems outside the volume that can be studied using individual, resolved stars. These unresolved clusters span orders of magnitude in brightness and mass, and their formation is linked to the overall star formation in their host galaxy. In that sense, the age distribution of a cluster population is a good proxy of the overall star formation history of the host. This talk presents a comparative study of clusters in seven compact galaxy groups. The aim is to use the cluster age distributions to infer the star formation history of these groups and link these to a proposed evolutionary sequence for compact galaxy groups.