A hidden population of Wolf-Rayet stars in the massive galactic cluster Westerlund 1

Clark, J.S. and Negueruela, I. (2002). A hidden population of Wolf-Rayet stars in the massive galactic cluster Westerlund 1. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 396 L25-L29.

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DOI (Digital Object Identifier) Link:	http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20021623
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Abstract

We report the discovery of a hitherto undetected population of Wolf-Rayet stars in the young galactic open cluster Westerlund 1. Optical spectroscopy of the cluster identified 11 such objects; provisional classification suggests that 6 are nitrogen rich (WN) and 5 carbon rich (WC). Including the previously identified Blue, Yellow & Red Super- & Hypergiants, Westerlund 1 clearly has a very rich population of massive post-Main Sequence objects. To date, the post-MS population of Westerlund 1 is significantly larger than that of any other galactic young open cluster - with the possible exception of the Arches - implying that it is potentially amongst the most massive young clusters yet identified in the Local Group.

Item Type:	Journal Article
ISSN:	1432-0746
Keywords:	stars: evolution - stars: Wolf Rayet - galaxies: starbursts stars: evolution - stars: Wolf Rayet - galaxies: starbursts
Academic Unit/Department:	Science > Physical Sciences
Interdisciplinary Research Centre:	Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space and Astronomical Research (CEPSAR)
Item ID:	13312
Depositing User:	Astrid Peterkin
Date Deposited:	19 Feb 2009 12:15
Last Modified:	08 Feb 2012 08:28
URI:	http://oro.open.ac.uk/id/eprint/13312

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