arXivDaily arXiv每日学术速递 周一至周五更新
arXiv 1507.01347astro-ph.GA
收藏

银河系过去的幽灵:球状星团ESO 37-1(E 3)

Ghosts of Milky Way's past: the globular cluster ESO 37-1 (E 3)

R. de la Fuente Marcos, C. de la Fuente Marcos, C. Moni Bidin, S. Ortolani, G. Carraro

摘要:

上下文在银河系中,大多数球状星团都是几个世纪前发现的非常显眼的物体。然而,其中有几十个是微弱的,人口稀少的系统,主要是在上个世纪下半叶发现的。其中最暗的是ESO 37-1(E 3),因此它的研究仍然很少,到目前为止还没有发表光谱观测结果,尽管它在1976年被发现。目标。我们研究了球状星团E3,试图更好地约束它的基本参数.这里首次显示了E3区域的恒星光谱.方法.本文介绍并分析了低至V=26等E3的深、精密VI-CCD测光.低分辨率,中等信噪比光谱的9个候选成员进行了研究,以获得径向速度和金属丰度。利用UCAC 4星表中的自行数据,研究了E3明亮成员的运动学。结果等时线拟合表明,E3可能非常古老,年龄约为13 Gyr;它与太阳的距离接近10 kpc。它也有点富含金属,[Fe/H]=-0.7。关于它的运动学,我们初步估计它的自行是(-7.0+/-0.8,3.5 +/-0.3)mas/yr(或切向速度为382+/-79 km/s),径向速度为45+/-5 km/s,在太阳静止框架中。结论. E3是银河系中最有趣的球状星团之一。年老和富含金属显然是一种奇特的组合,只有在少数天体中才能看到,比如更引人注目的NGC 104(图卡坦半岛47)。此外,它的低光度和稀疏的人口使它成为研究星团生命最后演化阶段的独特模板。不幸的是,E3是已知的最难以捉摸和最具挑战性的球状星团之一,因为场污染严重阻碍了光谱研究。

英文摘要:

Context. In the Milky Way, most globular clusters are highly conspicuous objects that were found centuries ago. However, a few dozen of them are faint, sparsely populated systems that were identified largely during the second half of the past century. One of the faintest is ESO 37-1 (E 3) and as such it remains poorly studied, with no spectroscopic observations published so far, although it was discovered in 1976. Aims. We investigate the globular cluster E 3 in an attempt to better constrain its fundamental parameters. Spectroscopy of stars in the field of E 3 is shown here for the first time. Methods. Deep, precise VI CCD photometry of E 3 down to V=26 mag is presented and analysed. Low-resolution, medium signal-to-noise ratio spectra of nine candidate members are studied to derive radial velocity and metallicity. Proper motions from the UCAC4 catalogue are used to explore the kinematics of the bright members of E 3. Results. Isochrone fitting indicates that E 3 is probably very old, with an age of about 13 Gyr; its distance from the Sun is nearly 10 kpc. It is also somewhat metal rich with [Fe/H]=-0.7. Regarding its kinematics, our tentative estimate for the proper motions is (-7.0+/-0.8, 3.5+/-0.3) mas/yr (or a tangential velocity of 382+/-79 km/s) and for the radial velocity is 45+/-5 km/s, in the solar rest frame. Conclusions. E 3 is one of the most intriguing globular clusters in the Galaxy. Having an old age and being metal rich is clearly a peculiar combination, only seen in a handful of objects like the far more conspicuous NGC 104 (47 Tucanae). In addition, its low luminosity and sparse population make it a unique template for the study of the final evolutionary phases in the life of a star cluster. Unfortunately, E 3 is among the most elusive and challenging known globular clusters because field contamination severely hampers spectroscopic studies.

机构、总结、中文摘要均由AI分析而来,可能存在错误,请以论文正文为准。

↑