Extra-tidal stars and chemical abundance properties of two metal-poor globular clusters M53 (NGC 5024) and NGC 5053

TL;DR

This study identifies and analyzes extra-tidal stars around two metal-poor globular clusters, revealing their chemical properties, possible tidal interactions, and implications for their origins in dwarf galaxies.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel method combining t-SNE and chemical analysis to identify extra-tidal stars and explores their properties and origins.

Findings

Seven extra-tidal stars found beyond cluster tidal radii.

Extra-tidal stars tend to align with cluster proper motion directions.

Chemical analysis shows Mg-Al anticorrelations and first-generation star features.

Abstract

We search for extra-tidal stars around two metal-poor Galactic globular clusters, M53 and NGC 5053, using the near-infrared APOGEE spectra. Applying the t-SNE algorithm on the chemical abundances and radial velocities results in identification of two isolated stellar groups composed of cluster member stars in the t-SNE projection plane. With additional selection criteria of radial velocity, location in the color-magnitude diagram, and abundances from a manual chemical analysis, we find a total of 73 cluster member candidates; seven extra-tidal stars are found beyond the tidal radii of the two clusters. The extra-tidal stars around the clusters tend to be located along the leading direction of the cluster proper motion, and the individual proper motion of these stars also seems to be compatible to those of clusters. Interestingly, we find that one extra-tidal star of NGC 5053 is located on the southern outskirts of M53, which is part of common stellar envelope by the tidal interaction between two clusters. We discuss the nature of this star in the context of the tidal interaction between two clusters. We find apparent Mg-Al anticorrelations with a clear gap and spread ($\sim$0.9 dex) in Al abundances for both clusters, and a light Si abundance spread ($\sim$0.3 dex) for NGC 5053. Since all extra-tidal stars have Mg enhanced and Al depleted features, they could be first-generation stars of two globular clusters. Our results support that M53 and NGC 5053 originated in dwarf galaxies and are surrounded by extended stellar substructures of more numerous populations of clusters.