Exploring Simple-Population and Multiple-Population Globular Clusters in the Outer Galactic Halo using the Hubble Space Telescope

TL;DR

This study uses Hubble Space Telescope data to analyze the stellar populations of four outer halo globular clusters, revealing differences in population complexity and metallicity variations, and providing insights into their formation and evolution.

Contribution

First detailed analysis of outer halo GCs using chromosome maps, showing some clusters have single populations while others have multiple, with implications for cluster mass and metallicity variations.

Findings

Ruprecht 106 and Terzan 7 are single-population clusters.

Arp 2 and Terzan 8 host multiple stellar populations.

Metallicity variations of 0.05-0.30 dex are common in these clusters.

Abstract

The pseudo two-color diagram, known as chromosome map (ChM), is a valuable tool for identifying globular clusters (GCs) that consist of single or multiple stellar populations (MPs). Recent surveys of Galactic GCs using the ChM have provided stringent observational constraints on the formation of GCs and their stellar populations. However, these surveys have primarily focused on GCs at moderate distances from the Galactic center and composed of MPs. In this paper, we present the first detailed study of the stellar composition of four GCs in the outer halo of the Milky Way: Arp 2, Ruprecht 106, Terzan 7, and Terzan 8. Our analysis is based on high-precision photometry obtained from images collected with the Hubble Space Telescope in the F275W, F336W, F438W, F606W, and F814W bands. We find that Ruprecht 106 and Terzan 7 are composed solely of a single stellar population, whereas Arp 2 and Terzan 8 host both first- and second-population stars. In these clusters, the second population comprises about half and one-third of the total number of GC stars, respectively. The results from this paper and the literature suggest that the threshold in the initial GC mass, if present, should be smaller than approximately 10^5 M$_{\odot}$. The first-population stars of Arp 2 and Terzan 8, along with the stars of the simple-population GCs Ruprecht 106 and Terzan 7, exhibit intrinsic F275W - F814W color spreads, likely indicative of [Fe/H] variations of approximately 0.05 -- 0.30 dex. This suggests that star-to-star metallicity variations are a common feature of star clusters, regardless of the presence of MPs.