Bibcode
Beasley, M. A.; San Roman, Izaskun; Gallart, C.; Sarajedini, Ata; Aparicio, A.
Bibliographical reference
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 451, Issue 4, p.3400-3418
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8
2015
Citations
35
Refereed citations
34
Description
We present precision radial velocities and stellar population parameters
for 77 star clusters in the Local Group galaxy M33. Our Gran Telescopio
de Canarias and William Herschel Telescope observations sample both
young, massive clusters and known/candidate globular clusters (GCs),
spanning ages ˜106-1010 yr, and
metallicities, [M/H] ˜ -1.7 to solar. The cluster system exhibits
an age-metallicity relation; the youngest clusters are the most metal
rich. When compared to H I data, clusters with [M/H] ˜ -1.0 and
younger than ˜4 Gyr are clearly identified as a disc population.
The clusters show evidence for strong time evolution in the disc radial
metallicity gradient (d[M/H]dt/dR = 0.03 dex kpc-1
Gyr-1). The oldest clusters have stronger, more negative
gradients than the youngest clusters in M33. The clusters also show a
clear age-velocity dispersion relation. The line-of-sight velocity
dispersions of the clusters increases with age similar to Milky Way open
clusters and stars. The general shape of the relation is reproduced by
disc heating simulations, and the similarity between the relations in
M33 and the Milky Way suggests that heating by substructure and cooling
of the interstellar medium both play a role in shaping this relation. We
identify 12 `classical' GCs, six of which are newly identified GC
candidates. The GCs are more metal rich than Milky Way halo clusters,
and show weak rotation. The inner (R < 4.5 kpc) GCs exhibit a steep
radial metallicity gradient (d[M/H]/dR = -0.29 ± 0.11 dex
kpc-1) and an exponential-like surface density profile. We
argue that these inner GCs are thick disc rather than halo objects.
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