The Deepest Far-UV Imaging Survey of Globular Clusters: NGC 6752 and NGC 6397

Details The Deepest Far-UV Imaging Survey of Globular Clusters: NGC 6752 and NGC 6397 The Deepest Far-UV Imaging Survey of Globular Clusters: NGC 6752 and NGC 6397

Jul 2000

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2000hst..prop.8630s&link_type=abstract

HST Proposal ID #8630

Physics

Hst Proposal Id #8630 Stellar Populations

Scientific paper

A few very close binaries can drive the dynamical evolution of an entire globular cluster. We propose the deepest UV imagery ever obtained on globular clusters to search for cataclysmic variables {CVs}. CVs should be relatively easy to find in globular cores with HST, but there is a remarkable dearth of detected CVs in globular clusters relative to the large numbers predicted by tidal capture theory. This calls into serious doubt all of our understanding of globular cluster dynamical evolution. If most CVs in globular clusters are much fainter than canonical classical and dwarf novae, then tidal capture theory {and our claim to understand cluster evolution} can be salvaged. We propose to image the globular clusters NGC 6752 and NGC 6397 in the passband where CVs emit most of their radiation: the far UV, and at Lyalpha. Using the FUV-MAMA detector on STIS, we will reach an equivalent optical limiting magnitude of M_V = 13 at S/N=10 which is sensitive enough to detect even the faintest known CVs. If few or no faint CVs are found, then theorists will have run out of phase space and simple tidal capture theory will be shown to have made an incorrect prediction. This would force a major revision in our theory of tidal capture, and our understanding of globular cluster dynamical evolution.

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