M31 globular cluster metallicities and ages

Abstract

Globular cluster ages are more than just lower limits to the age of the universe; the distribution of ages constraints the timescales for galaxy formation and chemical evolution. Globular cluster populations with different metallicities have now been detected in many galaxies, and understanding how these populations formed requires knowing their relative ages. We examined the relative ages of the two M31 globular cluster populations using their color and luminosity distributions and found that the metal-rich clusters could be up to 50% younger than the metal-poor clusters. While a small delay in the formation of metal-rich clusters might be imposed by chemical enrichment timescales, a large age gap demands a more detailed explanation. I outline several possibilities and their promises and problems.

3 pages, no figures, uses IAU207_pasp.sty. To appear in the proceedings of IAU Symp. 207, "Extragalactic Star Clusters", eds. E. Grebel, D. Geisler, and D. Minniti

References in corpus (5)

• M31 Globular Clusters: Colors and Metallicities
• Globular Cluster Systems As Distance Indicators: Metallicity Effects On The Luminosity Function
• The M31 Globular Cluster Luminosity Function
• The Globular Cluster Luminosity Function as a Distance Indicator: Dynamical Effects
• Testing population synthesis models with globular cluster colors