RR Lyrae-based calibration of the Globular Cluster Luminosity Function

Abstract

We test whether the peak absolute magnitude Mv(TO) of the Globular Cluster Luminosity Function (GCLF) can be used for reliable extragalactic distance determinations. Starting with the luminosity function of the Galactic Globular Clusters listed in Harris catalog, we determine Mv(TO) either using current calibrations of the absolute magnitude Mv(RR) of RR Lyrae stars as a function of the cluster metal content [Fe/H] and adopting selected cluster samples. We show that the peak magnitude is slightly affected by the adopted Mv(RR)-[Fe/H] relation, while it depends on the criteria to select the cluster sample. As for the GCLFs in other external galaxies, using Surface Brightness Fluctuations (SBF) measurements we give evidence that the luminosity functions of the blue (metal-poor) Globular Clusters peak at the same luminosity within ~0.2 mag, whereas for the red (metal-rich) samples the agreement is within ~0.5 mag even accounting for the theoretical metallicity correction expected for clusters with similar ages and mass distributions. Then, using the SBF absolute magnitudes provided by a Cepheid distance scale calibrated on a fiducial distance to LMC (m(LMC)=18.50 mag), we show that the Mv(TO) value of the metal-poor clusters in external galaxies(-7.67+/-0.23 mag) is in excellent agreement with the value of both Galactic (-7.66+/-0.11 mag) and M31 (-7.65+/-0.19 mag)ones.