| DOI | Resolve DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stab1864 |
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| Author | Search for: Mayes, Rebecca J.ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2311-7917; Search for: Drinkwater, Michael J.ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4867-0022; Search for: Pfeffer, JoelORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3786-8818; Search for: Baumgardt, HolgerORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1959-6946; Search for: Liu, Chengze; Search for: Ferrarese, Laura1; Search for: Côté, Patrick1; Search for: Peng, Eric W. |
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| Affiliation | - National Research Council of Canada. Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics
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| Funder | Search for: Australian Research Council; Search for: National Natural Science Foundation of China; Search for: CEA; Search for: National Research Council; Search for: Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Search for: University of Hawaii; Search for: STFC; Search for: BEIS; Search for: Durham University |
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| Format | Text, Article |
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| Subject | methods: numerical; galaxies: dwarf; galaxies: formation; galaxies: interactions; galaxies: nuclei; galaxies: star clusters: general |
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| Abstract | We use the hydrodynamical EAGLE simulation to test if ultracompact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) can form by tidal stripping by predicting the ages and metallicities of tidally stripped galaxy nuclei in massive galaxy clusters, and compare these results to compiled observations of age and metallicities of observed UCDs. We further calculate the colours of our sample of simulated stripped nuclei using single stellar population models and compare these colours to observations of UCDs in the Virgo Cluster. We find that the ages of observed UCDs are consistent with simulated stripped nuclei, with both groups of objects having a mean age >9 Gyr. Both stripped nuclei and UCDs follow a similar mass–metallicity relationship, and the metallicities of observed UCDs are consistent with those of simulated stripped nuclei for objects with M > 10⁷ M⊙. The colours of observed UCDs are also consistent with our simulated stripped nuclei, for objects with M > 10⁷ M⊙, with more massive objects being redder. We find that the colours of stripped nuclei exhibit a bimodal red and blue distribution that can be explained by the dependency of colour on age and metallicity, and by the mass–colour relation. We additionally find that our low-mass stripped nuclei sample is consistent with the colour of blue globular clusters. We conclude that the internal properties of simulated nuclei support the tidal stripping model of UCD formation. |
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| Publication date | 2021-07-02 |
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| Publisher | Oxford Academic |
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| Licence | |
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| In | |
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| Language | English |
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| Peer reviewed | Yes |
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| NRC number | [identifier] |
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| Export citation | Export as RIS |
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| Report a correction | Report a correction (opens in a new tab) |
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| Record identifier | b23fd719-f2c8-4adf-8af7-1f8c3cac939e |
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| Record created | 2023-05-02 |
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| Record modified | 2023-05-02 |
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