Diamonds on the Hat: Globular Clusters in The Sombrero Galaxy (M104)

TL;DR

This study analyzes the size distribution and properties of globular clusters in the Sombrero galaxy, revealing a universal size distribution influenced by early star formation processes and confirming known bimodal color distributions and metallicity relations.

Contribution

It introduces a new interpretation of the globular cluster size distribution function based on early rapid mass loss and stochastic star formation efficiency, supported by a simple predictive model.

Findings

The size distribution function of GCs is similar across galaxy types, indicating universality.

A simple model with initial protocluster sizes of ~0.9 pc and SFE of ~0.3 accurately predicts the observed size distribution.

The clusters exhibit a classic bimodal color distribution with a mass/metallicity relation in the blue sequence.

Abstract

Images from the HST ACS are used to carry out a new photometric study of the globular clusters (GCs) in M104, the Sombrero galaxy. The primary focus of our study is the characteristic distribution function of linear sizes (SDF) of the GCs. We measure the effective radii for 652 clusters with PSF-convolved King and Wilson dynamical model fits. The SDF is remarkably similar to those measured for other large galaxies of all types, adding strong support to the view that it is a "universal" feature of globular cluster systems. We develop a more general interpretation of the size distribution function for globular clusters, proposing that the shape of the SDF that we see today for GCs is strongly influenced by the early rapid mass loss during their star forming stage, coupled with stochastic differences from cluster to cluster in the star formation efficiency (SFE) and their initial sizes. We find that the observed SDF shape can be accurately predicted by a simple model in which the protocluster clouds had characteristic sizes of $0.9 \pm 0.1$ pc and SFEs of $0.3 \pm 0.07$. The colors and luminosities of the M104 clusters show the clearly defined classic bimodal form. The blue sequence exhibits a mass/metallicity relation (MMR), following a scaling of heavy-element abundance with luminosity of $Z \sim L^{0.3}$ very similar to what has been found in most giant elliptical galaxies. A quantitative self-enrichment model provides a good first-order match to the data for the same initial SFE and protocluster size that were required to explain the SDF. We also discuss various forms of the globular cluster Fundamental Plane (FP) of structural parameters, and show that useful tests of it can be extended to galaxies beyond the Local Group.