GLOBULAR-CLUSTER CLUSTERING IN M31

Authors
Citation
Km. Ashman et Cm. Bird, GLOBULAR-CLUSTER CLUSTERING IN M31, The Astronomical journal, 106(6), 1993, pp. 2281-2290
Citations number
62
Categorie Soggetti
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Journal title
ISSN journal
00046256
Volume
106
Issue
6
Year of publication
1993
Pages
2281 - 2290
Database
ISI
SICI code
0004-6256(1993)106:6<2281:GCIM>2.0.ZU;2-D
Abstract
We present an analysis of the positions and velocities of M31 globular clusters, which indicates the presence of significant substructure in the globular cluster system. We suggest this clustering is the surviv ing signature of gaseous clumps out of which the halo of M31 formed. A mixture-modeling analysis of the metallicity distribution of the M31 globulars indicates that, like the Milky Way, the metallicity distribu tion is bimodal. We show that the metallicity of genuine halo clusters in the Milky Way and M31 is similar to that of globulars around nearb y dwarf galaxies. This suggests that such clusters formed from primord ial material, whereas the disk globulars in the Galaxy and M31, as wel l as metal-rich globulars in elliptical galaxies, formed in some secon dary event. Implications of these findings for formation models of gal axies and globular clusters are discussed.