Globular Cluster Metallicity Subpopulations in NGC 4472

2007/01/15 by Jay Strader, Michael A. Beasley, Jean P. Brodie · 2 citations
Environmental Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy #Astrophysics #Bimodality #Brightest cluster galaxy #Elliptical galaxy #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Galaxy #Globular cluster #Impact of Light on Environment and Health #Metallicity #Milky Way #Physics #Virgo Cluster #astro-ph

paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/512770

published as Astron.J.133:2015-2019,2007 · Accepted to AJ, 16 pages, 5 figures

arxiv created 2007/01/15 · openalex publication_date 2007/03/26 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

Bimodality is a common feature of globular cluster (GC) color distributions in galaxies. Although it is well known that the GC system of the Milky Way is bimodal in metallicity, this has yet to be directly demonstrated for an elliptical galaxy. We use Lick index measurements from the literature to derive metallicities for 47 GCs in the giant Virgo elliptical galaxy NGC 4472. The resulting distribution shows clear evidence for two metallicity subpopulations of GCs.

Citations

• The ACS Virgo Cluster Survey. XIV. Analysis of Color‐Magnitude Relations in Globular Cluster Systems
• The Colors of Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy Globular Cluster Systems, Nuclei, and Stellar Halos
• A Catalog of Parameters for Globular Clusters in the Milky Way

Cited by

• Stellar Populations of Globular Clusters in the Elliptical Galaxy NGC 1407
• THE PECULIAR GLOBULAR CLUSTER SYSTEM OF THE S0 GALAXY NGC 7457