Detection of a Large Scale Structure of Intracluster Globular Clusters in the Virgo Cluster

TL;DR

This paper maps the large-scale distribution of intracluster globular clusters in the Virgo Cluster, revealing their extensive spread and association with substructures, which enhances understanding of galaxy cluster dynamics and dark matter distribution.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive map of intracluster globular clusters in the Virgo Cluster, showing their distribution and potential origins from dwarf galaxies.

Findings

IGCs are found up to 5 million light years from Virgo center

IGCs are concentrated in large substructures

IGCs likely originate from stripped dwarf galaxies

Abstract

Globular clusters are found usually in galaxies and they are an excellent tracer of dark matter. Long ago it was suggested that there may exist intracluster globular clusters (IGCs) bound to a galaxy cluster rather than to any single galaxy. Here we present a map showing the large scale distribution of globular clusters over the entire Virgo cluster. It shows that IGCs are found out to 5 million light years from the Virgo center, and that they are concentrated in several substructures much larger than galaxies. These objects might have been mostly stripped off from low-mass dwarf galaxies.