Masses and M/L Ratios of Bright Globular Clusters in NGC 5128

We present an analysis of the radial velocities and velocity dispersions for 27 bright globular clusters in the nearby elliptical galaxy NGC 5128 (Centaurus A). For 22 clusters we combine our new velocity dispersion measurements with the information on the structural parameters, either from the literature when available or from our own data, in order to derive the cluster masses and mass-to-light (M/L) ratios. The masses range from 1.2 × 10⁵M_⊙, typical of Galactic globular clusters, to 1.4 × 10⁷M_⊙, similar to more massive dwarf globular transition objects (DGTOs) or ultra compact dwarfs (UCDs) and to nuclei of nucleated dE galaxies. The average M/L_V is 3±1, larger than the average M/L_V of globular clusters in the Local Group galaxies. The correlations of structural parameters, velocity dispersion, masses and M/L_V for the bright globular clusters extend the properties established for the most massive Local Group clusters towards those characteristic of dwarf elliptical galaxy nuclei and DGTOs/UCDs. The detection of the mass-radius and the mass-M/L_V relations for the globular clusters with masses greater than ~ 2 × 10⁶M_⊙ provides the link between "normal" old globular clusters, young massive clusters, and evolved massive objects.