arXiv subjects

Harvey B. Richer

Publications and source records attributed to Harvey B. Richer.

60 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv1996

Deep HST V- and I-Band Observations of the Halo of M31: Evidence for Multiple Stellar Populations

We present deep V & I WFPC2 photometry in two fields in the M31 halo 32' and 50' from the center of M31 along the SE minor axis at the locations of the M31 GCs G302 and G312 respectively. The M31 halo LFs are not consistent with a single high-metallicity population but are consistent with a mix of 50% to 75% metal-rich stars and 25% to 50% metal-poor stars. This agrees with the RGB morphology, the HB luminosity, and the RR Lyrae stars in the M31 halo. The RGB morphology indicates a metallicity spread of -2 < [m/H] < -0.2 with most stars having [m/H] = -0.6, making the M31 halo significantly more metal- rich than either the Galactic halo or the M31 GC system. The HB is dominated by a red clump similar to the 47 Tuc HB but a small number of blue HB stars are visible, supporting the conclusion that there is a metal-poor component to the M31 halo. The number of HB stars is smaller than would be expected from the observed metallicity distribution but it is not clear if this is due to the photometric limits of our data or a 2nd parameter effect. We find a He abundance of Y >~ 0.20 to 0.27, comparable with the Galaxy. LFs show weak evidence that the R = 50' field contains a higher fraction of metal-poor stars than the R = 32' field but the metallicity distributions of the RGB stars strongly suggest that both fields have the same mix of stellar populations.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1996

Globular Clusters in NGC 1275

We present the results of a deep photometric study of the outer halo of NGC 1275, the highly active cD galaxy at the center of the Perseus cluster. We find a modest excess of faint ($R > 22.5$) starlike objects in its halo, indicating a population of old-halo globular clusters. However, the total estimated cluster population corresponds to a specific frequency of $S_N = 4.4 \pm 1.2$, no larger than that of normal giant ellipticals and three times lower than that of other central cD galaxies such as M87. We discuss several ideas for the origin of this galaxy. Our results reinforce the view that high $S_N$ (ie: highly efficient globular cluster formation) is not associated with cooling flows, or with recent starburst or merger phenomena.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1996

Age Gradient and the Second Parameter Problem in the Galactic Halo

We establish a framework for determing absolute ages of Galactic globular clusters and then use these ages to investigate the age-metallicity and age-Galactocentric distance relations for the 36 clusters with the most reliable age data. The clusters span Galactocentric distances from 4 through 100 kpc and cover a metallicity range from $[Fe/H] = -0.6$ to $-2.3$. Adopting currently plausible choices for the relation between cluster metallicity and horizontal-branch luminosity, and alpha-enhancement ratios, we find that the majority of the globular clusters form an age distribution with a dispersion $σ(t)$ about $10^9$ years, and a total age spread smaller than 4 Gyr. Clusters in the lowest metallicity group ($[Fe/H] < -1.8$) appear to be the same age to well within 1 Gyr at all locations in the Milky Way halo, suggesting that star formation began throughout the halo nearly simultaneously in its earliest stages. We find no statistically significant correlation between mean cluster age and Galactocentric distance (no age gradient) from 4 to 100 kpc. The correlation between cluster age and horizontal-branch type suggests that causes in addition to metallicity and age are required to understand the distribution of stars along the horizontal branches in globular cluster color-magnitude diagrams.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1995

Hubble Space Telescope Observations of White Dwarfs in the Globular Cluster M4

With the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) on the Hubble Space Telescope, we have discovered in M4 (NGC 6121, C 1620-264) the first extensive sequence of cooling white dwarfs seen in a globular cluster. Adopting a distance modulus of (m-M)_V = 12.65 and a reddening of E(B-V) = 0.37, we show that the sequence, which extends over 9 < M_U < 13, is comprised of white dwarfs of mass \sim 0.5 M_{\odot}. The total mass loss from the present turnoff to the white dwarf sequence is 0.31 M_{\odot} and the intrinsic dispersion in the mean mass appears to be < 0.05 M_{\odot}. Both the location of the white dwarf cooling sequence in the cluster color-magnitude diagram and the cumulative luminosity function attest to the basic correctness and completeness of the physics in theoretical models for the upper three magnitudes of the observed white dwarf cooling sequence. To test the theory in globular clusters at cooling ages beyond \sim 3 \times 10^8 years will require deeper and more complete data.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1995

Counting Pairs of Faint Galaxies

The number of close pairs of galaxies observed to faint magnitude limits, when compared to nearby samples, determines the interaction or merger rate as a function of redshift. The prevalence of mergers at intermediate redshifts is fundamental to understanding how galaxies evolve and the relative population of galaxy types. Mergers have been used to explain the excess of galaxies in faint blue counts above the numbers expected from no-evolution models. Using deep CFHT ($I\leq24$) imaging of a ``blank'' field we find a pair fraction which is consistent with the galaxies in our sample being randomly distributed with no significant excess of ``physical'' close pairs. This is contrary to the pair fraction of $34\%\pm9\%$ found by Burkey {\it et al.} for similar magnitude limits and using an identical approach to the pair analysis. Various reasons for this discrepancy are discussed. Colors and morphologies of our close pairs are consistent with the bulk of them being random superpositions although, as indicators of interaction, these criteria are uncertain due to contamination of field galaxies and difficulty in seeing structure at intermediate redshifts, respectively. This observed lack of close pairs is probably linked with the decreasing amplitude of the angular correlation function at faint limits. If our faint samples are comprised of galaxies which have a higher average redshift than brighter samples studied by other workers then either the merger rate has been overestimated or there is a change in its behaviour from what is observed at brighter magnitude limits.

astro-ph↗

arXiv1995

The Double Cluster G185 in M31

We have identified a small globular cluster in M31 located approximately 4 arcseconds northwest of the M31 globular cluster G185. While several multiple globular clusters have been observed in the Magellanic Clouds none have been found in the Galaxy or in M31. We estimate the probability of such a chance line-of-sight alignment occuring near the nucleus of M31 to be 0.09 +/- 0.03 and find no obvious indication of any tidal deformation in either cluster, as would be expected if the clusters were interacting. Two-dimensional modelling suggests G185 has a King (1966) [AJ, 71, 64] concentration of c = 1.11 +/- 0.08 while the companion has c = 0.67 +/- 0.17 and is physically smaller than G185. Both objects have integrated dereddened colors similar to those of Galactic globular clusters.

astro-ph↗