To provide an empirical calibration relation in order to convert Lick indices into abundances for the integrated light of old, simple stellar populations for a large range in the observed [Fe/H] and [alpha/Fe]. This calibration supersedes the previously adopted ones because it is be based on the real abundance pattern of the stars instead of the commonly adopted metallicity scale derived from the colours. We carried out a long-slit spectroscopic study of 23 Galactic globular cluster for which detailed chemical abundances in stars have been recently measured. The line-strength indices, as coded by the Lick system and by Serven et al. (2005), were measured in low-resolution integrated spectra of the GC light. The results were compared to average abundances and abundance ratios in stars taken from the compilation by Pritzl et al. (2005) as well as to synthetic models. Fe-related indices grow linearly as a function of [Fe/H] for [Fe/H]>-2. Mg-related indices respond in a similar way to [Mg/H] variations, however Mgb turns out to be a less reliable metallicity indicator for [Z/H]<-1.5 . Despite the known Mg overabundance with respect to Fe in GC stars, it proved impossible to infer a mean [Mg/Fe] for integrated spectra that correlates with the resolved stars properties, because the sensitivity of the indices to [Mg/Fe] is smaller at lower metallicities. We present empirical calibrations for Ca, TiO, Ba and Eu indices as well as the measurements of H_alpha and NaD.
A new catalog of homogenised absorption line indices for Milky Way globular clusters from high-resolution integrated spectroscopy
我们对24个银河系球状星团进行了综合光谱分析。从一个核心半径的光谱观察到每个集群与高波长分辨率~2.0 A的FWHM。结合Puzia et al.（2002）和Schiavon et al.（2005）的两个现有数据集，我们构建了一个包含53个银河系球状星团的Lick光谱指数的大型数据库，这些球状星团具有广泛的金属丰度范围，-2.4 < [Fe/H] < 0.1，以及各种水平分支形态。经验指数到金属丰度的转换关系提供了20舔指数用于推导金属丰度的远程，未解决的恒星系统。
The Ages, Metallicities and Alpha Element Enhancements of Globular Clusters in the Elliptical NGC 5128: A Homogeneous Spectroscopic Study with Gemini/GMOS
Deep stellar photometry of one of the most distant Galactic globular clusters, Palomar 3, based on frames taken with the VLT in Johnson-Cousins broadband V and Ifilters is presented, together with medium-resolution stellar spectroscopy in the central region of the cluster obtained with the CARELEC spectrograph of the Observatoire de Haute Provence and measurements of the Lick spectral indices for the integrated spectrum. Computations of the orbital parameters of Palomar 3 and nine Galactic globular clusters with similar metallicities and ages are also presented. The orbital parameters, age, me…
We present an investigation of synthetic spectroscopic indices that can plausibly help in identifying the presence of multiple stellar populations in globular clusters. The study is based on a new grid of stellar model atmospheres and high-resolution (R=500,000) synthetic spectra, that consider chemical partitions that have been singled out in Galactic globular clusters. The database is composed of 3472 model atmospheres and theoretical spectra calculated with the collection of Fortran codes DFSYNTHE, ATLAS9 and SYNTHE, developed by Robert L. Kurucz. They cover a range of effective temperature…
We present intermediate-resolution (R$\sim$1000) spectra in the $\sim$3500-10,000 A range of 14 globular clusters in the magellanic irregular galaxy NGC 4449 acquired with the Multi Object Double Spectrograph on the Large Binocular Telescope. We derived Lick indices in the optical and the CaII-triplet index in the near-infrared in order to infer the clusters' stellar population properties. The inferred cluster ages are typically older than $\sim$9 Gyr, although ages are derived with large uncertainties. The clusters exhibit intermediate metallicities, in the range $-1.2\lesssim$[Fe/H]$\lesssim…
We derive stellar population parameters for a representative sample of ultracompact dwarfs (UCDs) and a large sample of massive globular clusters (GCs) with stellar masses $\gtrsim$ 10$^{6}$ $M_{\odot}$ in the central galaxy M87 of the Virgo galaxy cluster, based on model fitting to the Lick-index measurements from both the literature and new observations. After necessary spectral stacking of the relatively faint objects in our initial sample of 40 UCDs and 118 GCs, we obtain 30 sets of Lick-index measurements for UCDs and 80 for GCs. The M87 UCDs have ages $\gtrsim$ 8 Gyr and [$α$/Fe] $\simeq…
We present multi-object spectroscopy of the inner zone of the globular cluster (GC) system associated with the intermediate-age merger remnant NGC 1316. Using the multi-object mode of the GMOS camera, we obtained spectra for 35 GCs. We find pieces of evidence that the innermost GCs of NGC 1316 rotate almost perpendicular to the stellar component of the galaxy. In a second stage, we determined ages, metallicities and α-element abundances for each GC present in the sample, through the measurement of different Lick/IDS indices and their comparison with simple stellar population models. We confirm…
We perform a detailed study of the stellar populations in a sample of massive Fornax dwarf galaxies using a set of newly defined line indices. Using data from the Integral field spectroscopic data, we study abundance ratios of eight dEs with stellar mass ranging from 10$^8$ to 10$^{9.5}$ M$_\odot$ in the Fornax cluster. We present the definitions of a new set of high-resolution Lick-style indices to be used for stellar population studies of unresolved small stellar systems. We identify 23 absorption features and continuum regions, mainly dominated by 12 elements (Na, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe,…
An intermediate-band photometric study of the "Globular Cluster" NGC 2419
NGC 2419是银河系晕中最遥远的星团之一，它的确切性质尚不清楚：虽然它具有让人想起球状星团（GC）的特征，但它的大半径和丰度分布的建议引发了关于它起源于河外环境的讨论，可能是矮星系吸积的残余物。在这里，我们提出的第一个结果，从深中间波段测光的NGC 2419，这使我们能够寻找化学（轻元素）丰度的变化，金属丰度的蔓延，从而多个恒星星族通过良好校准的Stroemgren指数。
M85 is a peculiar S0 galaxy in Virgo and is a well-known merger remnant. In this paper, we present the first spectroscopic study of globular clusters (GCs) in M85. We obtain spectra for 21 GC candidates and the nucleus of M85 using the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph on the Gemini North 8.1 m telescope. From their radial velocities, 20 of the GCs are found to be members of M85. We find a strong rotation signal of the M85 GC system with a rotation amplitude of 235 km s$^{-1}$. The rotation axis of the GC system has a position angle of about 161$^{\circ}$, which is 51$\rlap{.}{^\circ}$5 larger …
A catalog of Galactic globular clusters has been compiled and used to analyze relations between the chemical and kinematic parameters of the clusters. The catalog contains positions, distances, luminosities, metallicites, and horizontal-branch morphology indices for 157~globular clusters, as well as space velocities for 72~globular clusters. For 69~globular clusters, these data are suppleented with the relative abundances of 28~chemical elements produced in various nuclear-synthesis processes, taken from 101~papers published between 1986 and 2018. The tendency for redder horizontal branches in…
We analyze the stellar ages obtained from a combination of Lick indices in Borghi et al. for 140 massive and passive galaxies selected in the LEGA-C survey at $0.6<z<0.9$. From their median age--redshift relation, we derive a new direct measurement of $H(z)$ without any cosmological model assumption using the cosmic chronometer approach. We thoroughly study the main systematics involved in this analysis: the choice of the Lick indices combination, the binning method, the assumed stellar population model, and the adopted star formation history; these effects are included in the total error budg…
Apparently similar but multifaceted photometric systems are currently being used to investigate the multiple stellar populations in globular clusters, without the concrete general agreement on the definition of the multiple populations. In recent years, an attractive idea of utilization of the widely used UBI photometry, C_{UBI}, for the populational tagging of the giant stars in globular clusters has been emerged. We perform a critical analysis of the cn_{JWL} and the C_{UBI} indices, finding that the populational tagging from the C_{UBI} index may not be reliable, due to the inherited trait …
The Spatial Distribution of Globular Cluster Systems in Early Type Galaxies: Estimation Procedure and Catalog of Properties for Globular Cluster Systems Observed with Deep Imaging Surveys
Since the discovery of chemically peculiar stars in globular clusters in the last century, the study of multiple populations has become increasingly important, given that chemical inhomogeneity is found in almost all globular clusters. Despite various proposed theories attempting to explain this phenomenon, fitting all the observational evidence in globular clusters with one single theory remains notoriously difficult and currently unsuccessful. In order to improve existing models and motivate new ones, we are observing globular clusters at critical conditions, e.g., metal-rich end, metal-poor…
We introduce new color indices $cn^\prime_{\rm JWL}$ (= $Ca_{\rm CTIO} - Ca_{\rm JWL}$) and $ch_{\rm JWL}$ [=$(JWL43 - b) - (b-y)$], accurate photometric measures of the CN band at $λ$3883 and the CH G band, respectively, in the study of the multiple populations (MPs) in globular clusters (GCs). Our photometric CN--CH relation for a large number of red-giant branch (RGB) in M5 shows that the evolutions of the CN and CH between the CN-w and CN-s populations are not continuous. Armed with our new color indices, we investigate the MPs of NGC 6723, finding the RGB populational number ratio of $n$(…
The leading method for the determination of relevant stellar population parameters of unresolved extragalactic Globular Clusters is through the study of their integrated spectroscopy, where Balmer line-strength indices are considered to be age sensitive. Previously, a splitting in the highly optimised spectral line-strength index H$β_o$ was observed in a sample of Galactic globular clusters at all metallicities resulting in an apparent "upper branch" and "lower branch" of globular clusters in the H$β_o$ - [MgFe] diagram. This was suggested to be caused by the presence of hot Blue straggler sta…
Globular clusters contain a unique pulsar population, with many exotic systems that can form only in their dense stellar environments. The leap in sensitivity of the upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) in India, especially at low radio frequencies ($<$ 1 GHz) has motivated a new search for radio pulsars in a group of eight Southern globular clusters. We discovered PSR J1835$-$3259B, a 1.83-ms pulsar in NGC 6652; this is in a near-circular wide orbit of 28.7 hr with a low-mass ($ \sim 0.2 \, M_{\rm \odot}$) companion, likely a Helium white dwarf. We derived a 10-year timing solutio…
