The X-ray globular cluster population in NGC 1399

We report on the Chandra observations of the elliptical galaxy NGC 1399, co ncentrating on the X-ray sources identified with globular clusters (GCs). A large fraction of the 2-10 keV X-ray emission in the 8' x 8' Chandra image is resolved into point sources with luminosities greater than or equal to5 x 10(37) ergs s(-1). These sources are most likely low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). In a region imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope, about 70% of th e X-ray sources are located within GCs. This association suggests that in g iant elliptical galaxies luminous X-ray binaries preferentially form in GCs . Many of the GC sources have super-Eddington luminosities (for an accretin g neutron star), and their average luminosity is higher than the non-GC sou rces. The X-ray spectral properties of both GC and non-GC sources are simil ar to those of LMXBs in our Galaxy. Two of the brightest sources, one of wh ich is in a GC, have an ultrasoft spectrum, similar to that seen in the hig h state of black hole candidates. The "apparent" super-Eddington luminosity in many cases may be due to multiple LMXB systems within individual GCs bu t with some of the most extremely luminous systems containing massive black holes.