Substructure in the Globular Cluster System of the Milky Way

Abstract

The kinematical and spatial properties of the metal-rich globular clusters in the Galaxy ([Fe/H] > -0.8) indicates that these objects do not comprise a homogeneous population. Three subsystems are identified. The highest-mass clusters exhibit a very slow net rotation with a speed of v_rot = 24 km/s and v_rot/sigma = 0.3, indicative of a centrally condensed, spheroidal subsystem. Roughly half of the lower-mass clusters appear to be located in an elongated bar-like structure which passes through the Galactic Center, and has similar properties to the central stellar bar of the Milky Way. The remaining lower-mass clusters exhibit very rapid net rotation, with a rotation speed of v_rot = 164 km/s and v_rot/sigma = 6. These clusters are located in the Galactic plane, within a ring of 4 to 6 kpc radial distance from the Galactic Center. The highest-mass clusters may have formed during relatively advanced stages of the dissipative evolution of the inner Galactic halo. The lower-mass bar clusters may be associated with the formation of the Galactic stellar bar or bulge. The lower-mass ring clusters appear to be real disk objects. They may represent a stage in cluster formation that was intermediate between that of the halo globular clusters and the oldest extant open clusters.