Bibcode
Scarpa, R.; Marconi, G.; Gilmozzi, R.; Carraro, G.
Bibliographical reference
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 462, Issue 1, January IV 2007, pp.L9-L12
Advertised on:
1
2007
Journal
Citations
39
Refereed citations
34
Description
Aims:A test of Newton's law of gravity in the low acceleration regime
using globular clusters is presented and new results for the core
collapsed globular cluster NGC 7099 given. Methods: The run of
the gravitational potential as a function of distance is probed by
studying the velocity dispersion profile of the cluster, as derived from
a set of 125 radial velocities with accuracy better than 1 km
s-1. The velocity dispersion profile is traced up to ~18 pc
from the cluster center. Results: The dispersion is found to be
maximal at the center, then decrease until 10 ± 2 pc from the
center, well inside the cluster tidal radius of 42 pc. After that the
dispersion remains basically constant with an average value of 2.2
± 0.3 km s-1. Assuming a total V mag of M(V)=-7.43 mag
for NGC 7099, the acceleration at 10± 2 pc from the center is
1.1+0.4-0.3τ × 10-8 cm
s-2, where τ is the mass-to-light ratio. Thus, for τ
⪉ 2 typical of globular clusters, the flattening of the velocity
dispersion profile occurs for a value of the internal acceleration of
gravity that is fully consistent with a_0=1.2× 10-8 cm
s-2 observed in galaxies. Conclusions: .This new
result for NGC 7099 brings to 4 the clusters with velocity dispersion
profile probing acceleration below a_0. All four have been found to have
a flat dispersion profile at large radii where the acceleration is below
a_0, thereby mimicking elliptical galaxies qualitatively and
quantitatively. Whether this indicates a failure of Newtonian dynamics
in the low acceleration limit or some more conventional dynamical effect
(e.g., tidal heating) is still unclear. However, the similarities
emerging between very different globular clusters, as well as between
globular clusters and elliptical galaxies, seem to favor the first of
these two possibilities.
Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory,
Chile (ESO Nos. 71.D-0311 and 075.D-0043). The radial velocities used in
this work are only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous
ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via
http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/462/L9