Abstract

The IMF of Field OB Stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud

Joel Lamb (University of Michigan)

Oey, M. S., Graus, A., & Segura-Cox, D. M. (University of Michigan)

A fundamental characteristic of a stellar population is its initial mass function (IMF), which is an empirical probe of the star forming process. The population of field OB stars are an important component of a galaxy's stellar content, representing 20-30% of the massive stars. To study this population, we have undertaken a spectroscopic survey of a spatially complete sample of > 350 field OB stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud, which, together with photometry from the OGLE survey, will yield a definitive stellar initial mass function for the SMC field OB star population. We will also discuss the separate components of the field: runaways, binary stars, and field stars that formed in situ.