The globular cluster system in NGC5866: optical observations from HST Advanced Camera for Surveys

TL;DR

This study analyzes the globular cluster system of NGC5866 using HST optical images, revealing bimodal color distribution, metallicity estimates, and properties consistent with other galaxies, providing insights into its formation history.

Contribution

First detailed analysis of NGC5866's globular clusters using HST ACS data, including color, size, and luminosity functions, with new metallicity and spatial distribution insights.

Findings

Bimodal color distribution indicating two subpopulations.

Estimated metallicities of -1.5 and -0.6 dex for blue and red clusters.

Turn-Over Magnitude consistent with literature calibrations.

Abstract

We perform a detailed study of the Globular Cluster (GC) system in the galaxy NGC5866 based on F435W, F555W, and F625W (~ B, V, and R) HST Advanced Camera for Surveys images. Adopting color, size and shape selection criteria, the final list of GC candidates comprises 109 objects, with small estimated contamination from background galaxies, and foreground stars. The color distribution of the final GC sample has a bimodal form. Adopting color to metallicity transformations derived from the Teramo--SPoT simple stellar population model, we estimate a metallicity [Fe/H]~ -1.5, and -0.6 dex for the blue and red peaks, respectively. A similar result is found if the empirical color-metallicity relations derived from Galactic GCs data are used. The two subpopulations show some of the features commonly observed in the GC system of other galaxies, like a ``blue tilt'', higher central concentrations of the red subsystem, and larger half--light radii at larger galactocentric distances. However, we do not find evidence of a substantial difference between the average sizes of red and blue clusters. Our analysis of the GC Luminosity Function indicates a V-band Turn-Over Magnitude V$_0^{TOM}$=23.46+-0.06, or M$_{V,0}^{TOM}\sim-7.29 +- 0.10$ mag, using the distance modulus derived from the average of SBF and the PNLF distances. The absolute Turn-Over Magnitude obtained agrees well with calibrations from literature. The specific frequency is measured to be $S_N=1.4 +- 0.3$, typical for galaxies of this type.