The Evolution of Globular Cluster Systems in Merger Remnants

Details The Evolution of Globular Cluster Systems in Merger Remnants The Evolution of Globular Cluster Systems in Merger Remnants

Jul 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002hst..prop.9409g&link_type=abstract

HST Proposal ID #9409

Physics

Hst Proposal Id #9409

Scientific paper

Mergers seem to have played a major role in determining the shapes and dynamics of elliptical galaxies. A few galactic mergers still occur and offer valuable clues to past evolutionary processes. Globular clusters formed during mergers are crucial probes for age-dating such events, and help shed light on the process of cluster formation and evolution. With young globulars in ongoing mergers now well studied, we propose to make deep ACS observations of intermediate-age globular clusters in two bona fide ellipticals: NGC 1316 and 3610. These ellipticals have line-strength indices, UBV colors, and fine structure indicative of their being 2 - 4 Gyr old merger remnants. Past HST+WFPC2 observations have shown that they also possess significant numbers of intermediate-age globulars as part of their bimodal cluster populations. We plan to use the new HST+ACS observations to {1} measure high-accuracy BVI colors for clusters up to 2 - 3 mag fainter than ever before, {2} use these colors to separate first- and second-generation clusters, and {3} determine the luminosity functions of the two kinds of clusters to 3 - 4 mag past the peak for old globulars. Deep dithered BVI images form a crucial part of our observing strategy. This program should permit--for the first time--to directly detect the predicted evolution of the cluster luminosity function from a power law for young clusters to the Gaussian distribution typical of old globulars.

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