Program: GS-2022A-Q-220

The similarity of the shape of initial mass function (IMF) and pre-stellar core mass function (CMF) reported from past studies have suggested that the origin of the IMF is directly linked to the origin of the cores. However, the relationship has been mainly studied in the nearby young clusters whose physical conditions are more or less similar. Therefore, we propose FLAMINGOS-2 JHKs deep imaging observation of four young low-metallicity embedded clusters in the southern outer Galaxy (Z ~ 0.2 Zsun) to investigate “whether the same relation between the IMF and CMF holds true even in the low-metallicity environment.” One of the targets is already derived CMF from our previous ALMA observation and the others are our future targets of ALMA. Combining the Gemini South with ALMA, we will be able to compare the IMF and CMF directly in the same low-metallicity clusters for the first time. In addition, we propose Ks-band spectroscopy with the R3K grism (R ~ 1600) for five Class I protostar candidates in our target regions. So far, no Class I protostars are spectroscopically identified in the outer Galaxy. If they are confirmed to be a protostellar objects, we will be able to report the first spectroscopic detection of protostars and ongoing recent star-formation activities in the outer Galaxy.