Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jan 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011aas...21715208m&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #217, #152.08; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 43, 2011
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
Studies of globular cluster systems play a critical role in our understanding of galaxy formation. Star clusters are useful tracers of major star-formation events in galaxies since they are compact, relatively easy to detect, and have properties well described by simple-stellar-population models. Imaging with the Hubble Space Telescope has revealed that young compact star clusters are formed copiously during galaxy mergers, strengthening theories in which giant elliptical galaxies are formed through mergers of spirals. However, the formation and evolution of globular cluster systems is still not well understood. We should be able to observe how cluster systems evolve from the very young systems with power-law luminosity functions to old systems with log-normal luminosity functions like those observed in old elliptical galaxies. Finding intermediate-age cluster systems would constrain theories of cluster formation and destruction (evaporation, shocking, dynamical friction) as well as show the significance of merger events in the histories of galaxies. We present results of combining HST optical photometry with ground-based K-band photometry from NIRI and Flamingos-I on Gemini to study the star cluster systems of five intermediate-age merger remnants. The galaxies were chosen based on blue colors and fine structure such as shells and ripples that are indicative of past interactions. We find evidence for star clusters with ages consistent with the estimated merger ages. The properties of the star clusters systems and implications for galaxy and star cluster formation will be discussed.
Based on observations obtained at the Gemini Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the Gemini partnership: the National Science Foundation (United States), the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (United Kingdom), the National Research Council (Canada), CONICYT (Chile), the Australian Research Council (Australia), CNPq (Brazil), and CONICET (Argentina).
Miller Bryan W.
Schweizer Francois
Trancho Gelys
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