The Spatial Distribution of Intra-Cluster Globular Clusters in the Fornax Cluster

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: D'Abrusco, Raffaele, Mirabile, Marco, Cantiello, Michele, Iodice, Enrica, Chaturvedi, Avinash, Hilker, Michael, Fabbiano, Giuseppina, Spavone, Marilena, Paolillo, Maurizio
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author D'Abrusco, Raffaele
Mirabile, Marco
Cantiello, Michele
Iodice, Enrica
Chaturvedi, Avinash
Hilker, Michael
Fabbiano, Giuseppina
Spavone, Marilena
Paolillo, Maurizio
author_facet D'Abrusco, Raffaele
Mirabile, Marco
Cantiello, Michele
Iodice, Enrica
Chaturvedi, Avinash
Hilker, Michael
Fabbiano, Giuseppina
Spavone, Marilena
Paolillo, Maurizio
contents We investigate the spatial distribution of the Intra-Cluster Globular Clusters (ICGCs) detected in the core of the Fornax galaxy cluster. By separately modeling different components of the observed population of Globular Clusters (GCs), we confirm the existence of an abundant ICGCs over-density with a geometrically complex, elongated morphology roughly centered on the cluster dominant galaxy NGC 1399 and stretching along the E-W direction. We identify several areas in the ICGCs distribution that deviate from a simple elliptical model and feature large density enhancements. These regions are characterized based on their statistical significance, GCs excess number, position, size and location relative to the galaxies in their surroundings. The relations between the spatial distribution and features of the ICGCs structures, mostly populated by blue GCs, and properties of the intra-cluster light and dwarf galaxies detected in the core of the Fornax cluster are described and discussed. The line-of-sight velocity distribution of spectroscopically confirmed GCs within the ICGCs structures is compatible with the systemic velocities of nearby bright galaxies in the Fornax cluster, suggesting that the ICGCs population is at least partially composed of GCs stripped from their hosts. We argue that the findings here presented suggest that, on sub-cluster scales, different mechanisms contribute to the growth of the ICGC. The western region of Fornax is likely associated with old merging events that predate the assembly of the Fornax cluster. The eastern side instead points to a mix of tidal disruption of dwarf galaxies and stripping from the GCSs of massive hosts, more typical of relaxed, high-density cluster environments.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_01576
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The Spatial Distribution of Intra-Cluster Globular Clusters in the Fornax Cluster
D'Abrusco, Raffaele
Mirabile, Marco
Cantiello, Michele
Iodice, Enrica
Chaturvedi, Avinash
Hilker, Michael
Fabbiano, Giuseppina
Spavone, Marilena
Paolillo, Maurizio
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
We investigate the spatial distribution of the Intra-Cluster Globular Clusters (ICGCs) detected in the core of the Fornax galaxy cluster. By separately modeling different components of the observed population of Globular Clusters (GCs), we confirm the existence of an abundant ICGCs over-density with a geometrically complex, elongated morphology roughly centered on the cluster dominant galaxy NGC 1399 and stretching along the E-W direction. We identify several areas in the ICGCs distribution that deviate from a simple elliptical model and feature large density enhancements. These regions are characterized based on their statistical significance, GCs excess number, position, size and location relative to the galaxies in their surroundings. The relations between the spatial distribution and features of the ICGCs structures, mostly populated by blue GCs, and properties of the intra-cluster light and dwarf galaxies detected in the core of the Fornax cluster are described and discussed. The line-of-sight velocity distribution of spectroscopically confirmed GCs within the ICGCs structures is compatible with the systemic velocities of nearby bright galaxies in the Fornax cluster, suggesting that the ICGCs population is at least partially composed of GCs stripped from their hosts. We argue that the findings here presented suggest that, on sub-cluster scales, different mechanisms contribute to the growth of the ICGC. The western region of Fornax is likely associated with old merging events that predate the assembly of the Fornax cluster. The eastern side instead points to a mix of tidal disruption of dwarf galaxies and stripping from the GCSs of massive hosts, more typical of relaxed, high-density cluster environments.
title The Spatial Distribution of Intra-Cluster Globular Clusters in the Fornax Cluster
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.01576