The Globular Cluster Systems of Distant Giant Ellipticals

Details The Globular Cluster Systems of Distant Giant Ellipticals The Globular Cluster Systems of Distant Giant Ellipticals

Jul 1996

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1996hst..prop.6810g&link_type=abstract

HST Proposal ID #6810

Computer Science

Hst Proposal Id #6810 Stellar Populations

Scientific paper

We propose a definitive test of two competing scenarios for the origin of the rare high specific frequency {S} globular cluster systems {GCS} - the empirical result that such systems are only found in cD galaxies and the recent suggestion by West et al. {1995} that such systems are instead due to the presence of a large number of intracluster globular clusters {IGCs}. We will observe the GCSs of two galaxies in order to unambiguously discriminate between these two alternatives. NGC 1129 is situated at the center of a massive cluster yet it is not a cD. UGC 9799 has the highest S value known; however, this determination is based on only the brightest magnitude of the luminosity function {GCLF}. This is one of the key galaxies in the West et al. scenario but the derived S value is very uncertain. Our observations will also improve our knowledge of the mean GCS metallicity: parent galaxy luminosity relation at the very bright end where current data are very sparse. How much scatter does this relation have and does its nature change at very high luminosity? Both of these galaxies are among the most luminous known. We will also obtain metallicities for a large number of clusters per galaxy in order to search for bimodality as predicted by merger models. The GCLF turnover in NGC 1129 will be observed and will be used to check the metallicity dependance of this feature and further investigate its use as a distance indicator.

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