An accurate relative age estimator for globular clusters.

Details An accurate relative age estimator for globular clusters. An accurate relative age estimator for globular clusters.

Dec 1996

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1996mnras.283..683c&link_type=abstract

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. Vol. 283, No. 2, p. 683 - 689

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

44

Methods: Data Analysis -- Stars: Evolution -- Stars: Interiors -- Stars: Population Ii -- Globular Clusters: General -- Globular Clusters: Individual: M68, Globular Clusters: Ages

Scientific paper

Globular cluster age estimates based on the absolute magnitude of the main-sequence turn-off [Mv(TO)] are generally considered to be the most reliable from a theoretical viewpoint. However, the difficulty in determining Mv(TO) in observed colour-magnitude diagrams leads to a large error in the derived age. In this paper, the authors advocate the use of the absolute magnitude of the point which is brighter than the turn-off and 0.05 mag redder [Mv(BTO)] as a precision age indicator. It is easy to measure this point on observed colour-magnitude diagrams, leading to small observational error bars. Furthermore, an extensive Monte Carlo calculation indicates that the theoretical uncertainty in Mv(BTO) is similar to Mv(TO). As a result, ages derived using Mv(BTO) are at least a factor of 2 more precise than those derived using Mv(TO). This technique is applied to the globular cluster M68 and an age of 12.8±0.3 Gyr is derived, indicating that M68 is a "young" globular cluster. A homogeneous set of globular cluster age estimates with this precision would provide unprecedented insight into the formation of the Galactic halo.

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