Spectroscopy of globular cluster systems

From National Research Council Canada

DOI	Resolve DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921306000779
Author	Search for: Puzia, Thomas¹
Editor	Search for: Whitelock, Patricia Ann; Search for: Dennefeld, Michel; Search for: Leibundgut, Bruno
Affiliation	National Research Council Canada. NRC Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics
Format	Text, Article
Conference	The Scientific Requirements for Extremely Large Telescopes, Proceedings of the 232nd Symposium of the International Astronomical Union, November 14-18, 2005, Cape Town, South Africa
Abstract	We compare [α/Fe], metallicity, and age distributions of globular clusters in elliptical, lenticular, and spiral galaxies, which we derive from Lick line index measurements. We find a large number of globular clusters in elliptical galaxies that reach significantly higher [α/Fe] values (> 0.5 dex) than clusters in lenticular and spiral galaxies. Most of these highly α-enriched globular clusters are old (t > 8 Gyr) and exhibit relatively high metallicities up to solar values. Given the lower [α/Fe] ratios of the diffuse stellar population in early-type galaxies, our results suggest that the extremely α-enhanced globular clusters are members of the the very first generation of star clusters formed, and that their formation epochs likely predate the formation of the majority of stars in giant early-type galaxies.
Publication date	2006-05-17
In	Scientific Requirements for Extremely Large Telescopes: 304–305.
Series	Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union 1, no. S232.
Language	English
Peer reviewed	Yes
NRC publication	This is a non-NRC publication "Non-NRC publications" are publications authored by NRC employees prior to their employment by NRC.
NPARC number	13052836
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Record identifier	99b90c02-5fb3-4a94-abc1-1d3f7dff618e
Record created	2009-11-25
Record modified	2020-04-22

Date modified:: 2026-01-18