Globular clusters in Fornax: Does M(0) depend on environment?

被引:35
作者
Blakeslee, JP
Tonry, JL
机构
[1] Department of Physics, 6-216, Massachusetts Inst. of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
基金
美国国家科学基金会;
关键词
galaxies; clusters; individual; (Fornax); distances and redshifts; star clusters; globular clusters; general;
D O I
10.1086/310133
中图分类号
P1 [天文学];
学科分类号
0704 ;
摘要
We present the V-band globular cluster luminosity functions (GCLFs) of the Fornax Cluster galaxies NGC 1344, NGC 1380, NGC 1399, and NGC 1404. Our observations reach to V = 24.8, roughly 1 mag beyond the m(V)(0) with similar to 90% completeness. From the amplitude of the galaxy surface brightness fluctuations, GCLF turnover mo we also estimate the number of globular dusters fainter than this cutoff magnitude. The GCLFs of these galaxies are well fitted by Gaussians; the weighted means of their turnover magnitudes and dispersions are [m(V)(0)] = 23.88 +/- 0.10 mag and [sigma] = 1.35 +/- 0.07 mag. The assumption of a universal value for the absolute magnitude of the turnover M(V)(0) places the Fornax cluster 0.13 +/- 0.11 mag more distant than Virgo. However, in light of recent Cepheid and other high-precision distance measurements, as well as ongoing HST observations of GCLFs for the purpose of determining the extragalactic distance scale, we choose to reexamine the universal GCLF hypothesis. Based on data from groups and clusters of galaxies, we find evidence that MO, becomes fainter as the local density of galaxies increases. We speculate on the possible cause of this trend; if it is confirmed, GCLF observations will. be less useful for determining distances but may provide important information for constraining theories of star formation in primordial galaxy halos.
引用
收藏
页码:L19 / L22
页数:4
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