Dwarf galaxies in the MATLAS survey: Hubble Space Telescope observations of the globular cluster system in the ultra-diffuse galaxy MATLAS-2019

TL;DR

This study uses HST observations to analyze the globular cluster system of the ultra-diffuse galaxy MATLAS-2019, revealing a high number of GCs and a substantial dark matter halo, challenging previous low dark matter content findings.

Contribution

First detailed HST analysis of GCs in MATLAS-2019, providing insights into its halo mass and GC population, and establishing a benchmark for UDGs with rich GC systems.

Findings

26±6 GCs associated with MATLAS-2019

Derived halo mass of approximately 0.9×10^11 solar masses

High specific frequency of GCs (S_N=58±14)

Abstract

Ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) are very low-surface brightness galaxies with large effective radii. Spectroscopic measurements of a few UDGs have revealed a low dark matter content, based on the internal motion of stars or globular clusters (GCs). This is in contrast to the large number of GCs found for these systems, from which it would be expected to correspond to a large dark matter halo mass. Here we present HST+ACS observations for the UDG MATLAS-2019 in the NGC5846 group. Using the F606W and F814W filters, we trace the GC population two magnitudes below the peak of the GC luminosity function (GCLF). Employing Bayesian considerations, we identify 26+-6 GCs associated with the dwarf, yielding a large specific frequency of S_N=58+-14. We use the turnover of the GCLF to derive a distance of 21+-2 Mpc, which is consistent with the NGC5846 group of galaxies. Due to the superior image quality of the HST, we are able to resolve the GCs and measure their sizes, which are consistent with the sizes of GCs around Local Group galaxies. Using the linear relation between the total mass of galaxies and of GCs, we derive a halo mass of 0.9(+-0.2) *10^11 M_solar (M_solar/L_solar>1000). The high abundance of GCs, together with the small uncertainties, make MATLAS-2019 one of the most extreme UDGs, which likely sets an upper limit of the number of GCs for UDGs.