@article{IvanovCioniBekkietal.2016,
  author    = {Ivanov, Valentin D. and Cioni, Maria-Rosa L. and Bekki, Kenji and de Grijs, Richard and Emerson, Jim and Gibson, Brad K. and Kamath, Devika and van Loon, Jacco Th. and Piatti, Andres E. and For, Bi-Qing},
  title     = {New quasars behind the Magellanic Clouds. Spectroscopic confirmation of near-infrared selected candidates},
  series = {Current biology},
  volume    = {588},
  journal   = {Current biology},
  publisher = {EDP Sciences},
  address   = {Les Ulis},
  issn      = {1432-0746},
  doi       = {10.1051/0004-6361/201527398},
  pages     = {12},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Context. Quasi-stellar objects (quasars) located behind nearby galaxies provide an excellent absolute reference system for astrometric studies, but they are difficult to identify because of fore-and background contamination. Deep wide-field, high angular resolution surveys spanning the entire area of nearby galaxies are needed to obtain a complete census of such quasars. Aims. We embarked on a program to expand the quasar reference system behind the Large and the Small Magellanic Clouds, the Magellanic Bridge, and the Magellanic Stream that connects the Clouds with the Milky Way. Methods. Hundreds of quasar candidates were selected based on their near-infrared colors and variability properties from the ongoing public ESO VISTA Magellanic Clouds survey. A subset of 49 objects was followed up with optical spectroscopy. Results. We confirmed the quasar nature of 37 objects (34 new identifications): four are low redshift objects, three are probably stars, and the remaining three lack prominent spectral features for a secure classification. The bona fide quasars, identified from their broad emisison lines, are located as follows: 10 behind the LMC, 13 behind the SMC, and 14 behind the Bridge. The quasars span a redshift range from z similar to 0.5 to z similar to 4.1. Conclusions. Upon completion the VMC survey is expected to yield a total of similar to 1500 quasars with Y < 19.32 mag, J < 19.09 mag, and K-s < 18.04 mag.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{MillerCionideGrijsetal.2022,
  author    = {Miller, Amy E. and Cioni, Maria-Rosa L. and de Grijs, Richard and Sun, Ning-Chen and Bell, Cameron P. M. and Choudhury, Samyaday and Ivanov, Valentin D. and Marconi, Marcella and Oliveira, Joana M. and Petr-Gotzens, Monika and Ripepi, Vincenzo and van Loon, Jacco Th.},
  title     = {The VMC survey - XLVII. Turbulence-controlled hierarchical star formation in the large magellanic cloud},
  series = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society},
  volume    = {512},
  journal   = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press},
  address   = {Oxford},
  issn      = {0035-8711},
  doi       = {10.1093/mnras/stac508},
  pages     = {1196 -- 1213},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {We perform a statistical clustering analysis of upper main-sequence stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) using data from the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy survey of the Magellanic Clouds. We map over 2500 young stellar structures at 15 significance levels across similar to 120 square degrees centred on the LMC. The structures have sizes ranging from a few parsecs to over 1 kpc. We find that the young structures follow power-law size and mass distributions. From the perimeter-area relation, we derive a perimeter-area dimension of 1.44 +/- 0.20. From the mass-size relation and the size distribution, we derive two-dimensional fractal dimensions of 1.50 +/- 0.10 and 1.61 +/- 0.20, respectively. We find that the surface density distribution is well represented by a lognormal distribution. We apply the Larson relation to estimate the velocity dispersions and crossing times of these structures. Our results indicate that the fractal nature of the young stellar structures has been inherited from the gas clouds from which they form and that this architecture is generated by supersonic turbulence. Our results also suggest that star formation in the LMC is scale-free from 10 to 700 pc.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{PiattideGrijsRubeleetal.2015,
  author    = {Piatti, Andres E. and de Grijs, Richard and Rubele, Stefano and Cioni, Maria-Rosa L. and Ripepi, Vincenzo and Kerber, Leandro},
  title     = {The VMC survey - XV. The Small Magellanic Cloud-Bridge connection history as traced by their star cluster populations},
  series = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society},
  volume    = {450},
  journal   = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press},
  address   = {Oxford},
  issn      = {0035-8711},
  doi       = {10.1093/mnras/stv635},
  pages     = {552 -- 563},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {We present results based on YJK(s) photometry of star clusters located in the outermost, eastern region of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). We analysed a total of 51 catalogued clusters whose colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs), having been cleaned from field-star contamination, were used to assess the clusters' reality and estimate ages of the genuine systems. Based on CMD analysis, 15 catalogued clusters were found to be possible non-genuine aggregates. We investigated the properties of 80 per cent of the catalogued clusters in this part of the SMC by enlarging our sample with previously obtained cluster ages, adopting a homogeneous scale for all. Their spatial distribution suggests that the oldest clusters, log(t yr(-1)) >= 9.6, are in general located at greater distances to the galaxy's centre than their younger counterparts - 9.0 <= log(t yr(-1)) <= 9.4 - while two excesses of clusters are seen at log(t yr(-1)) similar to 9.2 and log(t yr(-1)) similar to 9.7. We found a trail of younger clusters which follow the wing/bridge components. This long spatial sequence does not only harbour very young clusters, log(t yr(-1)) similar to 7.3, but it also hosts some of intermediate ages, log(t yr(-1)) similar to 9.1. The derived cluster and field-star formation frequencies as a function of age are different. The most surprising feature is an observed excess of clusters with ages of log(t yr(-1)) <9.0, which could have been induced by interactions with the LMC.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{PiattideGrijsRipepietal.2015,
  author    = {Piatti, Andres E. and de Grijs, Richard and Ripepi, Vincenzo and Ivanov, Valentin D. and Cioni, Maria-Rosa L. and Marconi, Marcella and Rubele, Stefano and Bekki, Kenji and For, Bi-Qing},
  title     = {The VMC survey - XVI. Spatial variation of the cluster formation activity in the innermost regions of the Large Magellanic Cloud},
  series = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society},
  volume    = {454},
  journal   = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press},
  address   = {Oxford},
  issn      = {0035-8711},
  doi       = {10.1093/mnras/stv2054},
  pages     = {839 -- 848},
  year      = {2015},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{MorettiClementiniMarconietal.2016,
  author    = {Moretti, M. I. and Clementini, Gisella and Marconi, V. Ripepi M. and Rubele, S. and Cioni, Maria-Rosa L. and Muraveva, T. and Groenewegen, M. A. T. and Cross, N. J. G. and Ivanov, V. D. and Piatti, A. E. and de Grijs, Richard},
  title     = {The VMC survey - XX. Identification of new Cepheids in the Small Magellanic Cloud},
  series = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society},
  volume    = {459},
  journal   = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society},
  publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press},
  address   = {Oxford},
  issn      = {0035-8711},
  doi       = {10.1093/mnras/stw716},
  pages     = {1687 -- 1697},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {We present K-s-band light curves for 299 Cepheids in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) of which 288 are new discoveries that we have identified using multi-epoch near-infrared photometry obtained by the VISTA survey of the Magellanic Clouds system (VMC). The new Cepheids have periods in the range from 0.34 to 9.1 d and cover the magnitude interval 12.9 <= currency sign < K-s > <= currency sign 17.6 mag. Our method was developed using variable stars previously identified by the optical microlensing survey OGLE. We focus on searching new Cepheids in external regions of the SMC for which complete VMC K-s-band observations are available and no comprehensive identification of different types of variable stars from other surveys exists yet.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SubramanianRubeleSunetal.2017,
  author    = {Subramanian, Smitha and Rubele, Stefano and Sun, Ning-Chen and Girardi, Leo and de Grijs, Richard and van Loon, Jacco Th. and Cioni, Maria-Rosa L. and Piatti, Andres E. and Bekki, Kenji and Emerson, Jim and Ivanov, Valentin D. and Kerber, Leandro and Marconi, Marcella and Ripepi, Vincenzo and Tatton, Benjamin L.},
  title     = {The VMC Survey - XXIV. Signatures of tidally stripped stellar populations from the inner Small Magellanic Cloud},
  series = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society},
  volume    = {467},
  journal   = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society},
  publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press},
  address   = {Oxford},
  issn      = {0035-8711},
  doi       = {10.1093/mnras/stx205},
  pages     = {2980 -- 2995},
  year      = {2017},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{RipepiMarconiMorettietal.2016,
  author    = {Ripepi, Vincenzo and Marconi, M. and Moretti, M. I. and Clementini, Gisella and Cioni, Maria-Rosa L. and de Grijs, Richard and Emerson, J. P. and Groenewegen, M. A. T. and Ivanov, V. D. and Piatti, A. E.},
  title     = {THE VMC SURVEY. XIX. CLASSICAL CEPHEIDS IN THE SMALL MAGELLANIC CLOUD},
  series = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics ; Supplement series},
  volume    = {224},
  journal   = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics ; Supplement series},
  publisher = {IOP Publ. Ltd.},
  address   = {Bristol},
  issn      = {0067-0049},
  doi       = {10.3847/0067-0049/224/2/21},
  pages     = {199 -- 229},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {The "VISTA near-infrared YJK(s) survey of the Magellanic Clouds System" (VMC) is collecting deep K-s-band time-series photometry of pulsating variable stars hosted by the two Magellanic Clouds and their connecting Bridge. In this paper, we present Y, J, K-s light curves for a sample of 4172 Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) Classical Cepheids (CCs). These data, complemented with literature V values, allowed us to construct a variety of period-luminosity (PL), period-luminosity-color (PLC), and period-Wesenheit (PW) relationships, which are valid for Fundamental (F), First Overtone (FO), and Second Overtone (SO) pulsators. The relations involving the V, J, K-s bands are in agreement with their counterparts in the literature. As for the Y band, to our knowledge, we present the first CC PL, PW, and PLC relations ever derived using this filter. We also present the first near-infrared PL, PW, and PLC relations for SO pulsators to date. We used PW(V, K-s) to estimate the relative SMC-LMC distance and, in turn, the absolute distance to the SMC. For the former quantity, we find a value of Delta mu = 0.55. +/- 0.04 mag, which is in rather good agreement with other evaluations based on CCs, but significantly larger than the results obtained from older population II distance indicators. This discrepancy might be due to the different geometric distributions of young and old tracers in both Clouds. As for the absolute distance to the SMC, our best estimates are mu(SMC) = 19.01 +/- 0.05 mag and mu(SMC) = 19.04 +/- 0.06 mag, based on two distance measurements to the LMC which rely on accurate CC and eclipsing Cepheid binary data, respectively.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ZhangLideGrijsetal.2015,
  author    = {Zhang, Chaoli and Li, Chengyuan and de Grijs, Richard and Bekki, Kenji and Deng, Licai and Zaggia, Simone and Rubele, Stefano and Piatti, Andres E. and Cioni, Maria-Rosa L. and Emerson, Jim and For, Bi-Qing and Ripepi, Vincenzo and Marconi, Marcella and Ivanov, Valentin D. and Chen, Li},
  title     = {The vmc survey. XVIII. radial dependence of the Low-Mass, 0.55-0.82M(circle dot) stellar mass function in the galactic globular cluster 47 tucanae},
  series = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics},
  volume    = {815},
  journal   = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics},
  number    = {2},
  publisher = {IOP Publ. Ltd.},
  address   = {Bristol},
  issn      = {0004-637X},
  doi       = {10.1088/0004-637X/815/2/95},
  pages     = {9},
  year      = {2015},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SundeGrijsSubramanianetal.2017,
  author    = {Sun, Ning-Chen and de Grijs, Richard and Subramanian, Smitha and Cioni, Maria-Rosa L. and Rubele, Stefano and Bekki, Kenji and Ivanov, Valentin D. and Piatti, Andr{\´e}s E. and Ripepi, Vincenzo},
  title     = {The VMC Survey. XXII. Hierarchical star formation in the 30 Doradus-N158-N159-N160 star-forming complex},
  series = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics},
  volume    = {835},
  journal   = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics},
  number    = {2},
  publisher = {Institute of Physics Publ.},
  address   = {Bristol},
  issn      = {0004-637X},
  doi       = {10.3847/1538-4357/835/2/171},
  pages     = {10},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {We study the hierarchical stellar structures in a similar to 1.5 deg(2) area covering the 30. Doradus-N158-N159-N160 starforming complex with the VISTA Survey of. Magellanic Clouds. Based on the young upper main-sequence stars, we find that the surface densities cover a wide range of values, from log(Sigma.pc(2))less than or similar to -2.0 to log(Sigma. pc(2)) greater than or similar to 0.0. Their distributions are highly non-uniform, showing groups that frequently have subgroups inside. The sizes of the stellar groups do not exhibit characteristic values, and range continuously from several parsecs to more than 100. pc; the cumulative size distribution can be well described by a single power law, with the power-law index indicating a projected fractal dimension D-2 = 1.6 +/- 0.3. We suggest that the phenomena revealed here support a scenario of hierarchical star formation. Comparisons with other star-forming regions and galaxies are also discussed.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SundeGrijsSubramanianetal.2017,
  author    = {Sun, Ning-Chen and de Grijs, Richard and Subramanian, Smitha and Bekki, Kenji and Bell, Cameron P. M. and Cioni, Maria-Rosa L. and Ivanov, Valentin D. and Marconi, Marcella and Oliveira, Joana M. and Piatti, Andres E. and Ripepi, Vincenzo and Rubele, Stefano and Tatton, Ben L. and van Loon, Jacco Th.},
  title     = {The VMC Survey. XXII. Hierarchical Star Formation in the 30 Doradus-N158-N159-N160 Star-forming Complex},
  series = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics},
  volume    = {849},
  journal   = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics},
  publisher = {IOP Publ. Ltd.},
  address   = {Bristol},
  issn      = {0004-637X},
  doi       = {10.3847/1538-4357/aa911e},
  pages     = {16},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {Star formation is a hierarchical process, forming young stellar structures of star clusters, associations, and complexes over a wide range of scales. The star-forming complex in the bar region of the Large Magellanic Cloud is investigated with upper main-sequence stars observed by the VISTA Survey of the Magellanic Clouds. The upper main-sequence stars exhibit highly nonuniform distributions. Young stellar structures inside the complex are identified from the stellar density map as density enhancements of different significance levels. We find that these structures are hierarchically organized such that larger, lower-density structures contain one or several smaller, higher-density ones. They follow power-law size and mass distributions, as well as a lognormal surface density distribution. All these results support a scenario of hierarchical star formation regulated by turbulence. The temporal evolution of young stellar structures is explored by using subsamples of upper main-sequence stars with different magnitude and age ranges. While the youngest subsample, with a median age of log(tau/yr) = 7.2, contains the most substructure, progressively older ones are less and less substructured. The oldest subsample, with a median age of log(tau/yr) = 8.0, is almost indistinguishable from a uniform distribution on spatial scales of 30-300. pc, suggesting that the young stellar structures are completely dispersed on a timescale of similar to 100. Myr. These results are consistent with the characteristics of the 30. Doradus complex and the entire Large Magellanic Cloud, suggesting no significant environmental effects. We further point out that the fractal dimension may be method dependent for stellar samples with significant age spreads.},
  language  = {en}
}