Hierarchically clustered star formation in the magellanic clouds

Abstract

We present a cluster analysis of the bright main-sequence and faint pre–main-sequence stellar populations of a field ~90×90 pc centered on the HII region NGC 346/N66 in the SmallMagellanic Cloud, from imaging with HST/ACS. We extend our earlier analysis on the stellar cluster population in the region to characterize the structuring behavior of young stars in the region as a whole with the use of stellar density maps interpreted through techniques designed for the study of the ISM structuring. In particular, we demonstrate with Cartwrigth & Whitworth’s L parameter, dendrograms, and the Δ-variance wavelet transform technique that the young stellar populations in the region NGC 346/N66 are highly hierarchically clustered, in agreement with other regions in the Magellanic Clouds observed with HST. The origin of this hierarchy is currently under investigation.