AstroSat/UVIT Cluster Photometry in the Northern Disk of M31

Abstract

Abstract The Andromeda galaxy (M31) is an object of ongoing study with the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) on AstroSat. UVIT far-UV (FUV) and near-UV (NUV) photometry is carried out here for a set of 239 clusters in the NE disk and bulge of M31 that overlap with the HST/PHAT survey. Padova stellar models were applied to derive ages, masses, metallicities, and extinctions for 170 clusters. The ages show a narrow peak at ∼4 Myr and a broad peak around 100 Myr. log(Z/Z ⊙) values are mostly between −0.3 and +0.3. The 7 clusters in the bulge have a low metallicity and high mass. Most clusters are in the spiral arms and have metallicities in the range noted above. The youngest clusters mostly have high metallicity and are concentrated along the brightest parts of the spiral arms. The UVIT FUV and NUV data are sensitive to young stars and detect a new metal-rich peak in star formation in the disk at age ∼4 Myr.