Spectroscopy of Globular Clusters in the Fornax Dwarf Galaxy
Abstract
We present low-resolution, integrated Keck spectra of the five globular clusters (GCs) of the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy. We find a tentative age spread among the clusters, with the GC H5 younger by 2-3 Gyr than the others. The clusters generally appear to be very metal-poor ([Fe/H]~-1.8), with the cluster H4 slightly more metal-rich at [Fe/H]=-1.5. We speculate that cluster H4 is similar to the Galactic GC Ruprecht 106, which lacks the [α/Fe] enhancement typical among metal-poor GCs in the Milky Way. High-resolution spectroscopy of individual cluster and field stars will be needed to sort out the surprisingly complex history of GC formation and evolution in this galaxy.
- Publication:
-
The Astronomical Journal
- Pub Date:
- March 2003
- DOI:
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0212001
- Bibcode:
- 2003AJ....125.1291S
- Keywords:
-
- Galaxies: Dwarf;
- Galaxies: Individual: Name: Fornax;
- Galaxies: Star Clusters;
- Galaxies: Local Group;
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 21 pages, including 3 figures. To appear in AJ, March 2003