A Near-Infrared Study of the Stellar Cluster: [DBS2003] 45
  We present a multi-wavelength photometric and spectroscopic study of a newly
discovered candidate cluster [DBS2003] 45. Our H, Ks photometry confirms that
[DBS2003] 45 is a cluster. An average visual extinction Av 7.1+/-0.5 is needed
to fit the cluster sequence with a model isochrone. Low resolution spectroscopy
indicates that half a dozen early B and at least one late O type giant stars
are present in the cluster. We estimate the age of the cluster to be between 5
and 8 Myr based on spectroscopic analysis. Assuming an age of 6 Myr, we fit the
observed mass function with a power law, N(M) M^(-Gamma), and find an index
Gamma 1.27+/-0.15, which is consistent with the Salpeter value. We estimate the
total cluster mass is around 1000 solar masses by integrating the derived mass
function between 0.5 and 45 solar masses. Both mid-infrared and radio
wavelength observations show that a bubble filled with ionized gas is
associated with the cluster. The total ionizing photon flux estimated from
radio continuum measurements is consistent with the number of hot stars we
detected. Infrared bright point sources along the rim of the bubble suggest
that there is triggered star formation at the periphery of the HII region.
