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A Semi-Analytic Approach to Understanding the Bimodality of GCs in the Milky Way & M31

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2006

B. Rothberg
Affiliation:
STScI, USA, email: [email protected]
R. Somerville
Affiliation:
Max-Planck Institute for Astronomy, Germany
B. Whitmore
Affiliation:
STScI, USA, email: [email protected]
W. Harris
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Astronomy, McMaster University, Canada
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Abstract

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One of the most important results in the study of Globular Clusters (GC) has been the discovery of bimodality in the broad-band colors of many systems. Observations of the Milky Way, M31 and Centaurus A strongly suggest this is a bi-modality in metallicity. One method of constraining, and perhaps better understanding the observed bimodality of GCs is to use semi-analytic models (SAMs) to test both the galaxy and GC formation scenarios. We present the results of a study to test whether SAMs can accurately reproduce the physical characteristics of both the parent galaxy (including luminosity, mass and metallicity) and GC populations. The focus of the work is to test whether the SAMs are capable of reproducing the observed properties of spiral galaxies, in particular the Milky Way and M31, and what, if any, constraints this may place on the formation scenarios of GCs. Among the results are indications that bimodality may be directly connected with reionization at z ~ 7–8.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2007