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arXiv · 1805.06894

Kinematics of outer halo globular clusters: M 75 and NGC 6426

Andreas Koch·Michael Hanke·Nikolay Kacharov
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Abstract

Globular clusters (GCs) and their dynamic interactions with the Galactic components provide an important insight into the structure and formation of the early Milky Way. Here, we present a kinematic study of two outer halo GCs based on a combination of VLT/FORS2, VLT/FLAMES, and Magellan/MIKE low- and high-resolution spectroscopy of 32 and 27 member stars, respectively. Although both clusters are located at Galactocentric distances of 15 kpc, they have otherwise very different properties. M 75 is a luminous and metal-rich system at [Fe/H] = $-1.2$ dex, a value that we confirm from the calcium triplet region. This GC shows mild evidence for rotation with an amplitude of A$_{\rm rot}\sim$5 km s$^{-1}$. One of the most metal-poor GCs in the Milky Way (at [FeII/H] = $-2.3$ dex), NGC 6426 exhibits marginal evidence of internal rotation at the 2 km s$^{-1}$ level. Both objects have velocity dispersions that are consistent with their luminosity. Although limited by small-number statistics, the resulting limits on their $A_{\rm rot}/σ_0$ ratios suggest that M 75 is a slow rotator driven by internal dynamics rather than being effected by the weak Galactic tides at its large distances. Here, M 75 ($A_{\rm rot}/σ=0.31$) is fully consistent with the properties of other, younger halo clusters. At $A_{\rm rot}/σ_0=0.8\pm0.4$, NGC 6426 appears to have a remarkably ordered internal motion for its low metallicity, but the large uncertainty does not allow for an unambiguous categorization as a fast rotator. An accretion origin of M 75 cannot be excluded, based on the eccentric orbit, which we derived from the recent data release 2 of Gaia, and considering its younger age.

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Andreas Koch, Michael Hanke, Nikolay Kacharov. 2018-05-17. Kinematics of outer halo globular clusters: M 75 and NGC 6426. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361%2F201833110

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