A NEW METHOD FOR MEASURING METALLICITIES OF YOUNG SUPER STAR CLUSTERS

We demonstrate how the metallicities of young super star clusters (SSC) can be measured using novel spectroscopic techniques in the J-band. The near-infrared flux of SSCs older than ~6 Myr is dominated by tens to hundreds of red supergiant stars. Our technique is designed to harness the integrated light of that population and produces accurate metallicities for new observations in galaxies above (M83) and below (NGC 6946) solar metallicity. In M83 we find [Z] = -0.28 + or - 0.14 dex using a moderate resolution (R ~ 3500) J-band spectrum and in NGC 6496 we report [Z] = -0.32 + or - 0.20 dex from a low resolution spectrum of R ~ 1800. Recently commissioned low resolution multiplexed spectrographs on the Very Large Telescope (KMOS) and Keck (MOSFIRE) will allow accurate measurements of SSC metallicities across the disks of star-forming galaxies up to distances of 70 Mpc with single night observation campaigns using the method presented in this paper.