Beyond the Brim of the Hat: Kinematics of Globular Clusters out to Large Radius in the Sombrero Galaxy

We have obtained radial velocity measurements for 51 new globular clusters around the Sombrero galaxy. These measurements were obtained using spectroscopic observations from the AAOmega spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope and the Hydra spectrograph at WIYN. Combined with our own past measurements and velocity measurements obtained from the literature we have constructed a large database of radial velocities that contains a total of 360 confirmed globular clusters. Previous studies' analyses of the kinematics and mass profile of the Sombrero globular cluster system have been constrained to the inner ~9' (~24 kpc or ~5 effective radii), but our new measurements have increased the radial coverage of the data, allowing us to determine the kinematic properties of M104 out to ~15' (~41 kpc or ~9 effective radii). We use our set of radial velocities to study the GC system kinematics and to determine the mass profile and V-band mass-to-light profile of the galaxy. We find that the V-band mass-to-light ratio increases from 4.5 at the center to a value of 20.9 at 41 kpc (~9 effective radii or 15'), which implies that the dark matter halo extends to the edge of our available data set. We compare our mass profile at 20 kpc (~4 effective radii or ~7.4') to the mass computed from x-ray data and find good agreement. We also use our data to look for rotation in the globular cluster system as a whole, as well as in the red and blue subpopulations. We find no evidence for significant rotation in any of these samples.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal; 23 pages, 14 figures, and 2 table

Gemini/GMOS imaging of globular clusters in the Virgo galaxy NGC 4649 (M60)

We present Sloan g and i imaging from the Gemini Multi-object Spectrograph (GMOS) instrument on the Gemini North telescope for the globular cluster (GC) system around the Virgo galaxy NGC 4649 (M60). Our three pointings, taken in good seeing conditions, cover an area of about 90 square arcmin. We detect 2151 unresolved sources. Applying colour and magnitude selection criteria to this source list gives 995 candidate GCs. Our source list is greater than 90 per cent complete to a magnitude of i = 23.6, and has little contamination from background galaxies. We find fewer than half a dozen potential ultracompact dwarf galaxies around NGC 4649. Foreground extinction from the nearby spiral NGC 4647 is limited to be AV Hubble Space Telescope/WFPC2 imaging. As is commonly seen in other galaxies, the red GCs are concentrated towards the centre of the galaxy, having a steeper number density profile than the blue GC subpopulation. The varying ratio of red-to-blue GCs with radius can largely explain the overall GC system colour gradient. The underlying galaxy starlight has a similar density profile slope and colour to the red GCs. This suggests a direct connection between the galaxy field stars and the red GC subpopulation. We estimate a total GC population of 3700 ± 900, with the uncertainty dominated by the extrapolation to larger radii than observed. This total number corresponds to a specific frequency SN = 4.1 ± 1.0. Future work will present properties derived from GMOS spectra of the NGC 4649 GCs.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

The globular cluster kinematics and galaxy dark matter content of NGC 4649 (M60)

From observations with the GMOS multislit spectrograph on the Gemini North telescope, we have obtained spectra for 39 globular cluster (GC) candidates in the Virgo giant elliptical galaxy NGC 4649 (M60), of which 38 are confirmed GCs. The clusters extend out to a radius of 260 arcsec (3.5 effective radii). We find no rotation of the GC system, with an upper limit of ν/σ < 0.6 at a confidence level of 95 per cent. The GC velocity dispersion is constant with radius, within the uncertainties. We fit isotropic models to the GC and stellar kinematics; these models yield an (M/L) V around 16 at 200 arcsec radius (16 kpc), an increase of a factor of 2 from the central M/L. We also use the mass profile as derived from X-rays to determine the orbital structure. Using axisymmetric orbit-based models and the X-ray mass profile, we find the orbital distribution is close to isotropic within 100 arcsec, and becomes tangentially biased beyond. Furthermore, when using the X-ray profile, we find a better fit to the kinematics compared to using a constant M/L model. Thus, both isotropic and axisymmetric orbit-based models give support for the presence of a dark matter halo in NGC 4649.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

Gemini/GMOS spectra of globular clusters in the Virgo giant elliptical NGC 4649

NGC 4649 (M60) is one of a handful of giant Virgo ellipticals. We have obtained Gemini/GMOS (Gemini North Multi-Object Spectrograph) spectra for 38 globular clusters (GCs) associated with this galaxy. Applying the multi-index χ2 minimization technique of Proctor and Sansom with the single stellar population models of Thomas, Maraston and Korn, we derive ages, metallicities and α-element abundance ratios. We find several young (2-3 Gyr old) supersolar metallicity GCs, while the majority are old (>10 Gyr), spanning a range of metallicities from solar to [Z/H] = -2. At least two of these young GCs are at large projected radii of 17-20 kpc. The galaxy itself shows no obvious signs of a recent starburst, interaction or merger. A trend of decreasing α-element ratio with increasing metallicity is found.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y GeofísicasInstituto de Astrofísica de La Plat

Gemini/GMOS spectra of globular clusters in the Leo group elliptical NGC 3379

The Leo group elliptical NGC 3379 is one of the few normal elliptical galaxies close enough to make possible observations of resolved stellar populations, deep globular cluster (GC) photometry and high signal-to-noise ratio GC spectra. We have obtained Gemini/GMOS spectra for 22 GCs associated with NGC 3379. We derive ages, metallicities and α-element abundance ratios from simple stellar population models using the recent multi-index χ 2 minimization method of Proctor & Sansom. All of these GCs are found to be consistent with old ages, i.e. ≳10Gyr, with a wide range of metallicities. This is comparable to the ages and metallicities that Gregg et al. found a couple of years ago for resolved stellar populations in the outer regions of this elliptical. A trend of decreasing α-element abundance ratio with increasing metallicity is indicated. The projected velocity dispersion of the GC system is consistent with being constant with radius. Non-parametric, Isotropic models require a significant increase in the mass-to-light ratio at large radii. This result is in contrast to that of Romanowsky et al., who recently found a decrease in the velocity dispersion profile as determined from planetary nebulae (PN). Our constant dispersion requires a normal-sized dark halo, although without anisotropic models we cannot rigorously determine the dark halo mass. A two-sided χ 2 test over all radii gives a 2σ difference between the mass profile derived from our GCs compared to the PN-derived mass model of Romanowsky et al. However, if we restrict our analysis to radii beyond one effective radius and test if the GC velocity dispersion is consistently higher, we determine a > 3σ difference between the mass models, and hence we favour the conclusion that NGC 3379 does indeed have dark matter at large radii in its halo.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

Gemini/GMOS spectroscopy of the spheroid and globular cluster system of NGC 3923

We present a technique to extract ultra-deep diffuse-light spectra from the standard multi-object spectroscopic observations used to investigate extragalactic globular cluster (GC) systems. This technique allows a clean extraction of the spectrum of the host galaxy diffuse light from the same slitlets as the GC targets. We show the utility of the method for investigating the kinematics and stellar populations of galaxies at radii much greater than usually probed in longslit studies, at no additional expense in terms of telescope time. To demonstrate this technique, we present Gemini South Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) spectroscopy of 29 GCs associated with the elliptical galaxy NGC 3923. We compare the measured stellar population parameters of the GC system with those of the spheroid of NGC 3923 at the same projected radii, and find the GCs to have old ages >10 Gyr, [α/Fe] ∼ 0.3 and a range of metallicities running from [Z/H] = -1.8 to +0.35. The diffuse light of the galaxy is found to have ages, metallicities and [α/Fe] abundance ratios indistinguishable from those of the red GCs.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

Gemini/GMOS Spectroscopy of the Spheroid and Globular Cluster System of NGC 3923

We present a technique to extract ultra-deep diffuse-light spectra from the standard multi-object spectroscopic observations used to investigate extragalactic globular cluster (GC) systems. This technique allows a clean extraction of the spectrum of the host galaxy diffuse light from the same slitlets as the GC targets. We show the utility of the method for investigating the kinematics and stellar populations of galaxies at radii much greater than usually probed in longslit studies, at no additional expense in terms of telescope time. To demonstrate this technique we present Gemini/GMOS spectroscopy of 29 GCs associated with the elliptical galaxy NGC 3923. We compare the measured stellar population parameters of the GC system with those of the spheroid of NGC 3923 at the same projected radii, and find the GCs to have old ages (> 10 Gyr), [alpha/Fe]~0.3 and a range of metallicities running from [Z/H] = -1.8 to +0.35. The diffuse light of the galaxy is found to have ages, metallicities and [alpha/Fe] abundance ratios indistinguishable from those of the red GCs.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Gemini/GMOS Imaging of Globular Cluster Systems in Five Early-type Galaxies

This paper presents deep high quality photometry of globular cluster (GC) systems belonging to five early-type galaxies covering a range of mass and environment. Photometric data were obtained with the Gemini North and Gemini South telescopes in the filter passbands g', r', and i'. The combination of these filters with good seeing conditions allows an excellent separation between GC candidates and unresolved field objects. Bimodal GC colour distributions are found in all five galaxies. Most of the GC systems appear bimodal even in the (g' -r') vs (r' -i') plane. A population of resolved/marginally resolved GC and Ultra Compact Dwarf candidates was found in all the galaxies. A search for the so-called "blue tilt" in the colour-magnitude diagrams reveals that NGC 4649 clearly shows that phenomenon although no conclusive evidence was found for the other galaxies in the sample. This "blue tilt" translates into a mass-metallicity relation given by Z \propto M^0.28\pm0.03 . This dependence was found using a new empirical (g' -i') vs [Z/H] relation which relies on an homogeneous sample of GC colours and metallicities. This paper also explores the radial trends in both colour and surface density for the blue (metal-poor) and red (metal-rich) GC subpopulations. As usual, the red GCs show a steeper radial distribution than the blue ones. Evidence of galactocentric colour gradients is found in some of the GC systems, being more significant for the two S0 galaxies in the sample. Red GC subpopulations show similar colours and gradients to the galaxy halo stars in their inner region. A GC mean colour-galaxy luminosity relation, consistent with [Z/H] \propto L_B ^0.26\pm0.08, is present for the red GCs. An estimate of the total GC populations and specific frequency SN values is presented for NGC 3115, NGC 3379, NGC 3923 and NGC 4649.Comment: 23 pages, 13 figures and 9 tables. Tables A1 and A2 will be published in full online only. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Gemini/GMOS imaging of globular clusters in the Virgo galaxy NGC 4649 (M60)

We present Sloan g and i imaging from the Gemini Multi-object Spectrograph (GMOS) instrument on the Gemini North telescope for the globular cluster (GC) system around the Virgo galaxy NGC 4649 (M60). Our three pointings, taken in good seeing conditions, cover an area of about 90 square arcmin. We detect 2151 unresolved sources. Applying colour and magnitude selection criteria to this source list gives 995 candidate GCs. Our source list is greater than 90 per cent complete to a magnitude of i = 23.6, and has little contamination from background galaxies. We find fewer than half a dozen potential ultracompact dwarf galaxies around NGC 4649. Foreground extinction from the nearby spiral NGC 4647 is limited to be AV Hubble Space Telescope/WFPC2 imaging. As is commonly seen in other galaxies, the red GCs are concentrated towards the centre of the galaxy, having a steeper number density profile than the blue GC subpopulation. The varying ratio of red-to-blue GCs with radius can largely explain the overall GC system colour gradient. The underlying galaxy starlight has a similar density profile slope and colour to the red GCs. This suggests a direct connection between the galaxy field stars and the red GC subpopulation. We estimate a total GC population of 3700 ± 900, with the uncertainty dominated by the extrapolation to larger radii than observed. This total number corresponds to a specific frequency SN = 4.1 ± 1.0. Future work will present properties derived from GMOS spectra of the NGC 4649 GCs.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

The globular cluster kinematics and galaxy dark matter content of NGC 4649 (M60)

From observations with the GMOS multislit spectrograph on the Gemini North telescope, we have obtained spectra for 39 globular cluster (GC) candidates in the Virgo giant elliptical galaxy NGC 4649 (M60), of which 38 are confirmed GCs. The clusters extend out to a radius of 260 arcsec (3.5 effective radii). We find no rotation of the GC system, with an upper limit of ν/σ < 0.6 at a confidence level of 95 per cent. The GC velocity dispersion is constant with radius, within the uncertainties. We fit isotropic models to the GC and stellar kinematics; these models yield an (M/L) V around 16 at 200 arcsec radius (16 kpc), an increase of a factor of 2 from the central M/L. We also use the mass profile as derived from X-rays to determine the orbital structure. Using axisymmetric orbit-based models and the X-ray mass profile, we find the orbital distribution is close to isotropic within 100 arcsec, and becomes tangentially biased beyond. Furthermore, when using the X-ray profile, we find a better fit to the kinematics compared to using a constant M/L model. Thus, both isotropic and axisymmetric orbit-based models give support for the presence of a dark matter halo in NGC 4649.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica