EDP Sciences Journals List
Advanced Search
Subscriber Authentication Point
Home All issues Volume 378/ 1 Article

Free access article

Issue A&A
Volume 378, Number 1, October IV 2001
Page(s) 97 - 101
Section Galactic structure and dynamics
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20011173



A&A 378, 97-101 (2001)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20011173

The self-enrichment of galactic halo globular clusters

The mass-metallicity relation
G. Parmentier1, 2 and G. Gilmore2

1  Institute of Astrophysics and Geophysics, University of Liège, avenue de Cointe 5, 4000 Liège, Belgium
2  Institute of Astronomy, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA, UK

(Received 10 July 2001 / Accepted 16 August 2001 )

Abstract
We discuss the existence of a mass-metallicity relation among galactic halo globular clusters. The lack of any luminosity-metallicity correlation in globular cluster systems has been used as an argument against self-enrichment models of cluster formation. We show that such a relation is statistically present among the galactic Old Halo globulars. This observational correlation implies that the least massive old clusters are the most metal-rich. This is in contradiction with the idea that, if globular clusters were self-enriched systems, the most metal-rich clusters would also be the most massive ones. We further show that this anti-correlation is as predicted by self-enrichment models.


Key words: Galaxy: evolution -- Galaxy: formation -- globular clusters: general -- Galaxy: halo

Offprint request: G. Parmentier, parmentier@astro.ulg.ac.be

SIMBAD Objects



© ESO 2001

What is OpenURL?

The OpenURL standard is a protocol for transmission of metadata describing the resource that you wish to access. An OpenURL link contains article metadata and directs it to the OpenURL server of your choice. The OpenURL server can provide access to the resource and also offer complementary services (specific search engine, export of references...). The OpenURL link can be generated by different means.
  • If your librarian has set up your subscription with an OpenURL resolver, OpenURL links appear automatically on the abstract pages.
  • You can define your own OpenURL resolver with your EDPS Account. In this case your choice will be given priority over that of your library.
  • You can use an add-on for your browser (Firefox or I.E.) to display OpenURL links on a page (see http://www.openly.com/openurlref/). You should disable this module if you wish to use the OpenURL server that you or your library have defined.