Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-25-2018

Publication Title

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Volume

480

Abstract

We present the first measurement of the globular cluster (GC) population surrounding the elliptical galaxy J07173724+3744224 (⁠z" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: normal; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline; word-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;">zz = 0.1546). This galaxy is located in the foreground in the field-of-view of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Frontier Fields observations of galaxy cluster MACS J0717.5+3745 (⁠z" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: normal; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline; word-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; position: relative;">zz = 0.5458). Based on deep HST Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) F435W, F606W, and F814W images, we find a total GC population of Ntot = 3441 ± 1416. Applying the appropriate extinction correction and filter transformation from ACS F814W to the Johnson V band, we determine that the host galaxy has an absolute magnitude of MV = −22.2. The specific frequency was found to be SN = 4.5 ± 1.8. The radial profile of the GC system was best fit using a power law of the form σ ∼ R−0.6, with the GC population found to be more extended than the halo light of the host galaxy (σhalo ∼ R−1.7). The F435W − F814W colour distribution suggests a bimodal population, with red GCs 1–3 times more abundant than blue clusters. These results are consistent with the host elliptical galaxy J07173724+3744224 having formed its red metal-rich GCs in situ, with the blue metal-poor GCs accreted from low-mass galaxies.

Issue

2

First Page

1956

Last Page

1972

DOI

10.1093/mnras/sty1979

ISSN

1365-2966

Rights

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society following peer review. The version of record is available online at:

Carlson, N. L., Sultanova, M. R., Kalawila Vithanage, S. P., Barkhouse, W. A., Ipita Kaduwa Gamage, G. L., Rude, C. M., & López-Cruz, O. (2018). Globular cluster population of the HST Frontier Fields galaxy J07173724+3744224. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 480(2), 1956–1972. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty1979

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