Statistical analysis of Galactic globular cluster type properties

The properties of Galactic globular cluster sub - systems

In this paper we compare the properties of three sub-systems of Galactic globular clusters, which are defined according to metallicity and horizontal branch morphology. We specifically focus on cluster luminosities, structures, surface brightnesses and ellipticities. It is shown that the so-called “young” halo (YH) clusters, which are thought to have formed in external satellite galaxies, exhib...

Destruction of the Galactic Globular Cluster System

We investigate the dynamical evolution of the Galactic Globular Cluster System in considerably greater detail than has been done hitherto, finding that destruction rates are significantly larger than given by previous estimates. The general scheme (but not the detailed implementation) follows Aguilar, Hut, & Ostriker (1988; AHO). For the evolution of individual clusters we use a Fokker-Planck c...

Evolution of the Galactic Globular Cluster System

We study the dynamical evolution of disk and halo globular clusters in the Milky Way using a series of Fokker-Planck calculations combined with parametric statistical models. Our sample of 113 clusters with velocity data is predicted to descend from an initial population of 250 clusters, implying more than a factor of two decrease in population size due to evolution. Approximately 200 of these ...

Some Integrated Properties of Galactic Globular Clusters

New Statistical Insights of Globular Cluster Systems

Globular clusters are cosmological fossils, revealing the history of the universe and galaxies. Some galaxies are found to have multiple generations of globular clusters. Traditionally, these multiple epochs of cluster formation have been detected through graphical methods. In this presentation, we discuss statistical model selection to determine the number of components in globular cluster sys...