Pre-main-sequence Stars in the SMC and LMC

Abstract

We present first results of a survey for pre-main-sequence stars in the Magellanic Clouds. Our search concentrated on NGC 346, the most prominent OB association in the Small Magellanic Cloud, and on the 30 Dor starburst cluster in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The identification of the young low- to intermediate-mass stellar population in the SMC and LMC allows us to study whether or not these populations formed simultaneously with high-mass stars, and to what an extent lower metallicity affects the low-mass IMF. We can also evaluate the duration of star formation in a starburst region.