Globular clusters with multiple red giant branches: Narrow-band calcium photometry

  • Han, Sang-Il (Center for Galaxy Evolution Research and Department of Astronomy, Yonsei University) ;
  • Lee, Young-Wook (Center for Galaxy Evolution Research and Department of Astronomy, Yonsei University) ;
  • Joo, Seok-Joo (Center for Galaxy Evolution Research and Department of Astronomy, Yonsei University) ;
  • Lim, Dongwook (Center for Galaxy Evolution Research and Department of Astronomy, Yonsei University)
  • Published : 2013.10.08

Abstract

We have performed new narrow-band calcium photometry for Milky Way globular clusters (GCs) and detected multiple red giant branches (RGBs) in some massive GCs. Our new calcium filter was designed to avoid the CN contamination below $3883{\AA}$ and to measure only Ca II H&K lines. The fact that we are detecting multiple RGBs from the new filter is suggesting that they are indeed different in calcium abundance, which can only be produced by supernovae (SNe). Therefore, the presence of the multiple RGBs for the peculiar GCs in the calcium photometry is best understood if the later generation of stars are enhanced in some SNe products. In this talk, we will present our progress in the calcium photometry for the peculiar GCs showing the multiple RGBs.

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