Globular Cluster System erosion in elliptical galaxies

TL;DR

This study analyzes eight elliptical galaxies and finds that their globular cluster systems are depleted near the center, with significant mass transfer potentially impacting galactic core activity and black hole growth.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed comparison of globular cluster system distributions and estimates the mass loss and depletion in elliptical galaxies.

Findings

Globular cluster systems are flatter towards galaxy centers.

Estimated 21-71% of initial globular clusters are missing.

Mass transferred to galactic centers ranges from 7x10^7 to 1.85x10^9 solar masses.

Abstract

In this paper we analyze data of 8 elliptical galaxies in order to study the difference between their globular cluster systems (GCSs) radial distributions and those of the galactic stellar component. In all the galaxies studied here the globular cluster system density profile is significantly flatter toward the galactic centre than that of stars. If this difference is interpreted as a depauperation of the initial GC population, the estimated number of missing globular clusters is significant, ranging from 21% to 71% of their initial population abundance in the eight galaxies examined. The corresponding mass lost to the central galactic region is 7x10^7-1.85x10^9 solar masses. All this mass carried toward central galactic regions have likely had an important feedback on the innermost galactic region, including its violent transient activity (AGN) and local massive black hole formation and growth.