A CO Survey of the LMC with NANTEN: III. Formation of Stellar Clusters and Evolution of Molecular Clouds

Abstract In order to elucidate star formation in the LMC, we made a complete study of CO clouds with NANTEN. In the present paper, we compare 55 giant molecular clouds (GMCs), whose physical quantities were well determined, with young objects, such as young stellar clusters and H ii regions. We find that the GMCs are actively forming stars and clusters; 23 and 40 are found to be associated with the clusters and the H ii regions, respectively. The clusters associated with the GMCs are significantly young; 85\% of them are younger than 10 \, Myr. In addition, compact groups of the young clusters are often found at the peak position of the GMCs, e. g. , N 159 and N 44, while much looser groups are away from the GMCs. This suggests that the clusters are formed in groups and disperse as they become old. The distributions of the CO, C ii, and UV indicate that the GMCs are likely to be rapidly dissipated within several Myr due to UV photons from the clusters. We also estimate the evolutionary time scale of the GMCs; they form stars in a few Myr after their birth, and form clusters during the next few Myr, and are dissipated in the subsequent few Myr.