We have mapped the kinematics of the ionized gas in 30 Dor, and find numerous examples of fast expanding shells. There is good correlation between the high-velocity material and the bright diffuse X-ray emission in 30 Dor. The fast shells are probably supernova remnants, stellar wind-blown bubbles, or combinations of both.

We find diffuse X-ray emission not associated with known SNRs in seven LMC HII complexes. All, except 30 Dor, have simple ring morphologies, indicating shell structures. Assuming these are superbubbles, we find the X-ray luminosity expected from their hot interiors to be an order of magnitude lower than the observed value. SNRs close to the center of a superbubble add very little emission, but we calculate that off-center SNRs hitting the ionized shell could explain the observed emission.

We have measured a value of 4±5m--2rad for the rotation measure of the radio pulsar PSR0529-66 in the LMC and, after allowing for the dispersion and rotation measures of our Galaxy on the pulsar's line of sight, we deduce that the magnetic field strength in the LMC is in the range 0 to 5μGauss oriented away from the Sun.

A recent turbulence analysis of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is summarized. New model calculations on stochastic self-propagating star formation taking into account the multi-phase structure of the interstellar medium are presented. The relationship between star formation and turbulence is discussed.

We plan to install a new 4m radiotelescope in Australia to complete a sky survey of star-forming regions in the millimeter-wave CO(J=1-0, J-2-1) emission.

We present preliminary results from a study of the radial velocities of red horizontal branch stars in the north-eastern outer parts of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The sample is located in an area with a large line-of-sight depth of 15 kpc. It is suggested that there is a correlation between line-of-sight distance and radial velocity for these stars, with the more distant ones showing significantly higher velocities.

JHK observations have been obtained of Type II Cepheids in the LMC, in globular clusters, and in the galactic field. The P-L relations at J and H imply an LMC distance modulus consistent with Mv˜0.6 for RR Lyrae stars. Modest excesses at K are seen in some LMC objects. One previously reported LMC Type II Cepheid appears to be a Type I Cepheid, and two others are much redder in J-H than normal Type II Cepheids. HV11211 is a Type I Cepheid in the SMC.

AST/RO (Antarctic Submillimeter Telescope and Remote Observatory), a joint project between AT&T Bell Labs, Boston University and the University of Illinois, will place a 1.7-m submillimetre telescope at the South Pole (a high, dry site) in 1992. The highly automated off-axis parabolic telescope will be equipped initially with two channels of 500 GHz (600 μm) heterodyne receivers and AOS spectrometers. A primary goal of the project is a large-scale survey of CI and CO(4-3) line emission from the southern Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds, in an effort to further the understanding of the warm interstellar medium and star formation in the two galaxies.

A radio survey of the Magellanic Clouds (MCs) at 843 MHz has been completed and is being prepared for publication. The survey was made with the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST) operated by the Astrophysics Department, University of Sydney. This survey of the Clouds has a high angular resolution (45 arcsec) and a sensitivity of a few mJy/beam even for objects of large angular extent

Photoelectric observations of over 100 C stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) and 20 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) were carried out with the Johnson JHK system using the standard ESO equipment on the 3.6m telescope. The limiting magnitude is about K = 13.7.

An overview of the understanding of processes of star formation in the Magellanic Clouds, including a historical perspective, is given. The current status is reviewed with emphasis on evidence for sequential star formation in large associations, on optical and infrared discoveries of possible pre-main sequence objects in luminous young clusters and 30 Doradus. The history of star formation in both Clouds, and evidence for differences between the processes of star formation in the Clouds and the Milky Way are discussed.

Existing observations of the Magellanic Clouds suggest substantially different star-forming histories for the two systems. The reliability of this conclusion is discussed in the context of the uncertainties and age resolutions of various empirical methods of studying galaxy evolution. An attempt is also made to relate likely evolutionary scenarios for the Clouds to the histories of other Local Group systems, to the evolution seen in galaxies at high redshift, and to possible histories determined by interaction with the Galaxy.

The H II regions in the Magellanic Clouds provide an opportunity to characterize the global star formation properties of a galaxy at close range. They also provide a unique laboratory for testing empirical tracers of the massive star formation rates and initial mass functions in more distant galaxies, and for studying the dynamical interactions between massive stars and the interstellar medium. This paper discusses several current studies in these areas.

The 30 Doradus region of the LMC is a Rosetta Stone for the interpretation of similar, more distant regions, since it is accessible to spatially resolved investigation of its components with modern instrumentation. Following an introductory review of the various scales and populations relevant to the region, several current programs which promise improved understanding will be reviewed. They include extensive new optical spectroscopy and photometry of the central cluster, which will provide substantial new information about the stellar content and initial mass function (IMF); infrared surveys which will clarify questions about continuing star formation and the lower main sequence; and high-resolution nebular spectroscopy and X-ray observations which will reveal the high-energy phenomena in the surrounding interstellar medium.

The main purpose of our work is to study the range of ages of the stars in an area about 40' in diameter around R 136. Apart from individual stellar spectra, other age criteria may be found in photometric studies, the morphology and the density of the associated gas. In such complex regions as the 30 Dor region, estimating the depth along the line of sight is a problem.

Using the Swedish-ESO Submillimetre Telescope, we have mapped the CO (1-0) emission in two small areas of the LMC near 30 Dor. Some 20 molecular clouds have been identified and analysed. Cloud masses are calculated assuming virial equilibrium and the relationship between mass and CO luminosity is discussed.

Star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds (MCs) differ from those in the Galaxy in a number of respects: (1) the Clouds contain a class of populous open clusters that has no Galactic counterpart; (2) Cloud clusters have systematically larger radii rh than those in the Galaxy; (3) clusters of all ages in the Clouds are, on average, more flattened than those in the Galaxy. In the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) there appear to have been two distinct epochs of cluster formation. LMC globulars have ages of 12-15 Gyr, whereas most populous open clusters have ages <5 Gyr. No such dichotomy is observed for clusters in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) The fact that the SMC exhibits no enhanced cluster formation at times of bursts of cluster formation in the LMC, militates against encounters between the Clouds as a cause for enhanced rates of star and cluster formation.

The globular clusters (GC) of the Magellanic Clouds play a very important role for many astrophysical and cosmological topics. For example, they represent the ideal testground for stellar evolution theory, they allow us to study the the early dynamical evolution of star clusters, to obtain accurate initial mass functions in a fairly extended mass range, to calibrate the Cepheid period-luminosity relation, and so on. In this brief paper I will touch upon two items which are of considerable cosmological interest, and about which Magellanic Cloud globulars provide unique information. These topics concern i) GC formation in galaxies, and ii) the epoch of galaxy formation.

We present velocities for 75 star clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), based on individual star measures at the Calcium triplet The spectra are also used to derive abundances for most of the clusters, and an age-metallicity relation is presented for the inner and outer regions. One half of the clusters are objects in the outer parts of the LMC (radius ≥5°), which had no previous velocity determinations. Published velocities for intermediate and old clusters are shown to have had systematic errors. We compare these velocities with various rotation curve analyses of the LMC, and test aspects of the twisted disk model of Freeman et al. (1983, hereafter FIO). Our outer cluster sample and the intermediate age inner clusters form a disk which agrees with the parameters of the optical isophotes and inner HI rotation curve. The oldest clusters are still enigmatic; they appear to be flattened and rotate much as FIO have described, although the parameters are poorly determined in this small sample.