Clues on the Missing Sources of Reionization from Self-consistent Modeling of Milky Way and Dwarf Galaxy Globular Clusters

TL;DR

This study models the formation and evolution of globular clusters in a Milky Way-like galaxy to understand their origins and implications for cosmic reionization, revealing two main formation epochs and the importance of accretion.

Contribution

It introduces a self-consistent hierarchical cosmology model that reproduces observed globular cluster properties and uncovers two distinct formation peaks at high redshifts.

Findings

Globular clusters formed mainly at redshifts z~2 and z~7-12.

Approximately 40% of globular clusters formed in situ, 60% were accreted.

About 29% of clusters formed before redshift z=7.

Abstract

Globular clusters are unique tracers of ancient star formation. We determine the formation efficiencies of globular clusters across cosmic time by modeling the formation and dynamical evolution of the globular cluster population of a Milky Way type galaxy in hierarchical cosmology, using the merger tree from the Via Lactea II simulation. All of the models are constrained to reproduce the observed specific frequency and initial mass function of globular clusters in isolated dwarfs. Globular cluster orbits are then computed in a time varying gravitational potential after they are either accreted from a satellite halo or formed in situ, within the Milky Way halo. We find that the Galactocentric distances and metallicity distribution of globular clusters are very sensitive to the formation efficiencies of globular clusters as a function of redshift and halo mass. Our most accurate models reveal two distinct peaks in the globular cluster formation efficiency at z~2 and z~7-12 and prefer a formation efficiency that is mildly increasing with decreasing halo mass, the opposite of what expected for feedback-regulated star formation. This model accurately reproduces the positions, velocities, mass function, metallicity distribution, and age distribution of globular clusters in the Milky Way and predicts that ~ 40% formed in situ, within the Milky Way halo, while the other ~ 60% were accreted from about 20 satellite dwarf galaxies with Vc > 30 km/s, and about 29% or all globular clusters formed at redshifts z > 7. These results further strengthen the notion that globular cluster formation was an important mode of star formation in high-redshift galaxies and likely played a significant role in the reionization of the intergalactic medium