The GC-Halo Connection in Galaxy Clusters
| Program ID | 19034 |
|---|---|
| Science Category | Galaxies |
| Program Type | Analysis |
| Category | Small |
| Principal Investigator | Timothy Carleton |
| PI Institution | Arizona State University |
| Co-Investigators |
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| Abstract | Globular clusters, some of the oldest and densest stellar systems in the Universe, have proved to be some of the most interesting. In particular, globular cluster systems have been shown to be uniquely connected to the dark matter halos of galaxies and galaxy clusters. Imaging as part of Roman’s High-Latitude Wide Area Survey presents the potential to dramatically increase the population of systems for which globular cluster populations are studied. We propose a program to identify and analyze the globular cluster systems of ~200 nearby galaxy clusters that are observed as part of the High-Latitude Wide Area Survey. This analysis will increase the number of nearby galaxy clusters with mapped GC populations by a factor of 40 and the total number of cataloged GCs by nearly an order of magnitude. Maps of GCs in these clusters will shed light on the dark matter distribution within nearby clusters. Furthermore, by identifying globular cluster systems in a wide range of galaxy clusters out to larger cluster-centric radii, our analysis will deepen our understanding of the connection between these systems and the enigmatic dark matter halos they live in. |