Program: GN-2006A-C-9

Young massive clusters (YMCs) represent an intense mode of star formation found in galaxies ranging from extreme starbursts to quiescent spirals. YMCs also tend to form in giant cluster complexes and although the formation and evolution of these complexes have been poorly studied, they appear to be a fundamental feature of massive cluster formation. We propose to obtain GMOS-N long-slit spectroscopy of YMC complexes in three nearby spiral galaxies. Spiral disks are chosen because they represent the normal environment of star formation in the present-day universe, and the complexes are spatially well-resolved. The observations will allow us to study the formation and evolution of YMCs within complexes, and interactions with their environments through measurements of radial velocities, line intensities, and stellar spectral features. Our overall aims are to understand the evolution of the complexes (are they collapsing, stable or expanding?), the formation of YMCs, and their influence on the surrounding ISM.