Spatial Segregation of Massive Clusters in Dwarf Galaxies

January 2020 • 2020ApJ...888L..27E

Authors • Elmegreen, Bruce G. • Adamo, A. • Boquien, M. • Bournaud, F. • Calzetti, D. • Cook, D. O. • Dale, D. A. • Duc, P. -A. • Elmegreen, D. M. • Fensch, J. • Grasha, K. • Kim, Hwi • Kahre, L. • Messa, M. • Ryon, J. E. • Sabbi, E. • Smith, L. J.

Abstract • The relative average minimum projected separations of star clusters in the Legacy ExtraGalactic UV Survey (LEGUS) and in tidal dwarfs around the interacting galaxy NGC 5291 are determined as a function of cluster mass to look for cluster-cluster mass segregation. Class 2 and 3 LEGUS clusters, which have a more irregular internal structure than the compact and symmetric class 1 clusters, are found to be mass-segregated in low-mass galaxies, which means that the more massive clusters are systematically bunched together compared to the lower-mass clusters. This mass segregation is not present in high-mass galaxies or class 1 clusters. We consider possible causes for this segregation, including differences in cluster formation and scattering in the shallow gravitational potentials of low-mass galaxies.

Links

• SIMBAD http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbo.pl?bibcode=2020ApJ...888L..27E
• PDF https://stacks.iop.org/2041-8205/888/L27/pdf
• NED https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/uri/NED::InRefcode/2020ApJ...888L..27E
• PREPRINT http://arxiv.org/abs/1912.08293
• ELECTR https://doi.org/10.3847%2F2041-8213%2Fab632a