A velocity dispersion has been measured for the luminous globular cluster M31 037-B327, claimed to be the most massive star cluster in the Local Group and to be a young “super star cluster” that has survived to an old age. M31 037-B327 has a mass comparable to that of M31 G1 but not significantly larger. Although near the upper end for the mass distribution of globular clusters, it is not an un...

A velocity dispersion has been measured for the luminous globular cluster M31 037–B327, claimed to be the most massive star cluster in the Local Group and to be a young “super star cluster” that has survived to an old age. M31 037– B327 has a mass comparable to that of M31 G1, but not significantly larger. Although near the upper end for the mass distribution of globular clusters, it is not an ...

We present a five-band Herschel study (100–500 μm) of three galaxy clusters at z 1.2 ~ from the Spitzer Adaptation of the Red-Sequence Cluster Survey. With a sample of 120 spectroscopically confirmed cluster members, we investigate the role of environment on galaxy properties utilizing the projected cluster phase space (line-of-sight velocity versus clustercentric radius), which probes the time...

Super star clusters” are the most massive extreme in the continuum of young star clusters. In this thesis, I examine the properties of such super star clusters in a sample of starburst galaxies with space and ground-based observations and in the optical, mid-infrared, and radio regimes. Using optical photometry, I estimate the ages and masses, as well as construct luminosity functions for the s...

I discuss two questions about the origin of star clusters: How long does the process take? What is the mode of individual star formation? I argue that observations of Galactic star-forming regions, particularly the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC), indicate that cluster formation often takes several Myr, which is many local dynamical timescales. Individual stars and binaries, including massive stars,...

We have carried out a large set of N -body simulations studying the effect of residualgas expulsion on the survival rate and final properties of star clusters. We have varied the star formation efficiency, gas expulsion timescale and strength of the external tidal field, obtaining a three-dimensional grid of models which can be used to predict the evolution of individual star clusters or whole ...

The cluster luminosity function (CLF) is one of the most important diagnostics in the study of old globular and young compact star cluster populations. While the CLFs of young star cluster systems are closely approximated by power laws, as predicted by standard cluster formation models (e.g., [2] [4]), for old globular cluster systems the shape of the CLF, and also of the initial mass function,...

I present a review of star cluster (SC) dynamics in galaxies, with special emphasis on the effects of global galactic dynamics on SC formation and evolution. I particularly discuss (i) dynamical friction processes affecting SCs in galaxies of different masses, (ii) formation of stellar galactic nuclei and massive globular clusters (GCs) through multiple merging of SCs, (iii) interactions betwee...

We present the Fundamental Plane (FP) in the z = 0.28 cluster of galaxies RX J0142.0+2131. There is no evidence for a difference in the slope of the FP when compared with the Coma cluster, although the internal scatter is larger. On average, stellar populations in RX J0142.0+2131 have rest-frame V -band mass-to-light ratios (M/LV ) 0.29± 0.03 dex lower than in Coma. This is significantly lower ...

We use the Bullet Cluster (1E0657-56) to investigate the extent to which star formation in cluster galaxies is influenced by ram pressure from supersonic gas (Mach 3) during a cluster merger. While the effects of ram pressure have been studied for individual galaxies infalling into galaxy clusters, this system provides a unique opportunity to investigate the impact of dramatic merger events on ...