The Initial Mass Function in Star-forming Regions in the Magellanic Clouds

恒星初始质量函数（IMF）解释了恒星形成时的质量分布。IMF是一个非常重要的分布函数，它与单个恒星系统的恒星形成直接相关，也与整个星系的恒星形成直接相关。由于观测的限制，我们无法探测到较暗的恒星，因此缺乏关于IMF低质量一端的信息，尤其是在我们自己以外的星系中。我将利用哈勃太空望远镜（HST）对麦哲伦星云（我们邻近的矮星系）的高分辨率观测，研究低金属丰度环境下低质量恒星的IMF。这些观察包括以前的存档数据，也包括STScI周期14中已经授予我的数据。这项研究将为活跃的恒星形成系统（如恒星协会）中质量与太阳相当或小于太阳质量的恒星形成提供大量信息。恒星，不属于任何特定的系统，但属于一般的领域群体，也将被研究。此外，这些观测，与最先进的近红外探测器的高分辨率地面观测相协调，将允许发现前主序星，尚未开始其恒星生命的物体，并研究它们的IMF。这将为麦哲伦星云开辟一个新的研究领域。

The stellar Initial Mass Function (IMF) accounts for the distribution of the masses of stars at the time they are formed. The IMF is a very important distribution function, which is directly linked to the formation of stars in individual stellar systems, but also in a galaxy as a whole. There is a lack of information on the low-mass end of the IMF, especially in galaxies other than our own, because of observational constraints, which do not allow us to detect the fainter stars. I will take advantage of high-resolution observations with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) of the Magellanic Clouds, our neighboring dwarf galaxies, to investigate the IMF of low-mass stars in their low-metallicity environments. These observations include previously taken archived data, and also data already granted to me in STScI Cycle 14. This study will add substantial information on the formation of stars with masses comparable and smaller than the mass of the Sun in active star forming stellar systems, such as stellar associations. Stars, which are not members of any specific system, but belong to the general field population, will also be studied. Furthermore, these observations, coordinated with high-resolution ground-based observations with the most advanced near-infrared detectors will allow the discovery of pre-main-sequence stars, objects which have not started their lives as stars yet, and the study of their IMF. This would open a new field of study for the Magellanic Clouds.