A Merger Model and Globular Cluster Formation

Abstract

We propose a self-consistent model for globular cluster formation in, but not limited to, our Galaxy, based on the merger model of Mathews and Schramm (1993). Stars and star clusters form in bursts at the merging interfaces as protogalactic clouds collide. We describe the formation of those star clusters with a simple schematic ansatz which takes into account the thermal and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities. It is shown that this model is consistent with many observational properties such as the age and metallicity distributions of globular clusters, the overall number of globular clusters, and the near constancy of the number of globular clusters in different size host galaxies. Most of the features of this merger model are insensitive to choices of parameters. However, the model does not exhibit two distinct populations of globular clusters, i.e. halo clusters and disk clusters. Possible explanations for this are presented.