High-mass star formation in southern disk galaxies

As part of a major study of the physical processes of star formation and the evolution of galactic discs, the detailed distribution of high-mass star formation within southern late-type spirals and Magellanic-type galaxies is being measured by means of narrow-band imaging in Ha and the continuum, spectroscopic studies of prominent HII regions identified in the Ha images, and by radio mapping in neutral hydrogen and the continuum. The radio mapping will be undertaken with the Southern Hemisphere's first large, multi-frequency synthesis array, the Australia Telescope. Some optical imaging and spectroscopic data has already been acquired; the optical data and some preliminary results are described.