Hierarchical star formation from the time-space distribution of star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Abstract

The average age difference between pairs of star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) increases with their separation as the ∼0.35 power. This suggests that star formation is hierarchical in space and in time. Small regions form stars quickly and large regions, which often contain the small regions, form stars over a longer period. A similar result found previously for Cepheid variables is statistically less certain than the cluster result.