Examinando por Autor "Harris, William E."

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    Globular cluster scale sizes in giant galaxies: orbital anisotropy and tidally underfilling clusters in M87, NGC 1399 and NGC 5128
    (OXFORD UNIV PRESS, 2016-08) Webb, Jeremy J.; Sills, Alison; Harris, William E.; Gómez, Matías; Paolillo, Maurizio; Woodley, Kristin A.; Puzia, Thomas H.
    We investigate the shallow increase in globular cluster half-light radii with projected galactocentric distance Rgc observed in the giant galaxies M87, NGC 1399, and NGC 5128. To model the trend in each galaxy, we explore the effects of orbital anisotropy and tidally underfilling clusters. While a strong degeneracy exists between the two parameters, we use kinematic studies to help constrain the distance Rβ beyond which cluster orbits become anisotropic, as well as the distance Rfα beyond which clusters are tidally underfilling. For M87 we find Rβ > 27 kpc and 20 < Rfα < 40 kpc and for NGC 1399 Rβ > 13 kpc and 10 < Rfα < 30 kpc. The connection of Rfα with each galaxy's mass profile indicates the relationship between size and Rgc may be imposed at formation, with only inner clusters being tidally affected. The best-fitting models suggest the dynamical histories of brightest cluster galaxies yield similar present-day distributions of cluster properties. For NGC 5128, the central giant in a small galaxy group, we find Rβ > 5 kpc and Rfα > 30 kpc. While we cannot rule out a dependence on Rgc, NGC 5128 is well fitted by a tidally filling cluster population with an isotropic distribution of orbits, suggesting it may have formed via an initial fast accretion phase. Perturbations from the surrounding environment may also affect a galaxy's orbital anisotropy profile, as outer clusters in M87 and NGC 1399 have primarily radial orbits while outer NGC 5128 clusters remain isotropic.
  • Miniatura
    Ítem
    Structural Parameters of the M87 Globular Clusters
    (2009) Madrid, Juan P.; Harris, William E.; Blakeslee, John P.; Gómez, Matías
    We derive structural parameters for ∼ 2000 globular clusters in the giant Virgo elliptical M87 using extremely deep Hubble Space Telescope images in F606W (V) and F814W (I) taken with the ACS/WFC. The cluster scale sizes (half-light radii rh) and ellipticities are determined from PSF-convolved King-model profile fitting. We find that the rh distribution closely resembles the inner Milky Way clusters, peaking at rh ≃ 2.5 pc and with virtually no clusters more compact than rh ≃ 1 pc. The metal-poor clusters have on average an rh 24% larger than the metal-rich ones. The cluster scale size shows a gradual and noticeable increase with galactocentric distance. Clusters are very slightly larger in the bluer waveband V , a possible hint that we may be beginning to see the effects of mass segregation within the clusters. We also derived a color magnitude diagram for the M87 globular cluster system which show a striking bimodal distribution.
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    Ítem
    The ages, metallicities, and alpha element enhancements of globular clusters in the elliptical NGC 5128: A homogeneous spectroscopic study with gemini/gemini multi-object spectrograph
    (Institute of Physics Publishing, 2010) Woodley, Kristin A.; Harris, William E.; Puzia, Thomas H.; Gómez, Matías; Harris, Gretchen L. H.; Geisler, Doug
    We present new integrated light spectroscopy of globular clusters (GCs) in NGC 5128, a nearby giant elliptical galaxy less than 4 Mpc away, in order to measure radial velocities and derive ages, metallicities, and alpha-element abundance ratios. Using the Gemini South 8 meter telescope with the instrument Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph, we obtained spectroscopy in the range of ∼ 3400-5700 for 72 GCs with a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 30Å -1; and we have also discovered 35 new GCs within NGC 5128 from our radial velocity measurements. We measured and compared the Lick indices from HδA through Fe5406 with the single stellar population models of Thomas etal. in order to derive age, metallicity, and [α/Fe] values. We also measure Lick indices for 41 Milky Way GCs from Puzia etal. and Schiavon etal. with the same methodology for direct comparison. Our results show that 68% of the NGC 5128 GCs have old ages (>8 Gyr), 14% have intermediate ages (5-8 Gyr), and 18% have young ages (<5 Gyr). However, when we look at the metallicity of the GCs as a function of age, we find 92% of metal-poor GCs and 56% of metal-rich GCs in NGC 5128 have ages >8 Gyr, indicating that the majority of both metallicity subpopulations of GCs formed earlier, with a significant population of young and metal-rich GCs forming later. Our metallicity distribution function generated directly from spectroscopic Lick indices is clearly bimodal, as is the color distribution of the same set of GCs. Thus, the metallicity bimodality is real and not an artifact of the color to metallicity conversion. However, the metallicity distribution function obtained from comparison with the single stellar population models is consistent with a unimodal, bimodal, or multimodal shape. The [α/Fe] values are supersolar with a mean value of 0.14 ± 0.04, indicating a fast formation timescale. However, the GCs in NGC 5128 are not as [α/Fe] enhanced as the Milky Way GCs also examined in this study. Our measured indices also indicate that the GCs in NGC 5128 may have a slight overabundance in nitrogen and a wider range of calcium strength compared to the Milky Way GCs. Our results support a rapid, early formation of the GC system in NGC 5128, with subsequent major accretion and/or GC and star-forming events in more recent times. © 2010. The American Astronomical Society.