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Oxford University Press (OUP), Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 2(429), p. 1066-1079

DOI: 10.1093/mnras/sts395

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The impact of galaxy harassment on the globular cluster systems of early-type cluster dwarf galaxies

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

The dynamics of globular cluster systems (GCSs) around galaxies are often used to assess the total enclosed mass, and even to constrain the dark matter distribution. The globular cluster system of a galaxy is typically assumed to be in dynamical equilibrium within the potential of the host galaxy. However cluster galaxies are subjected to a rapidly evolving and, at times, violently destructive tidal field. We investigate the impact of the harassment on the dynamics of GCs surrounding early type cluster dwarfs, using numerical simulations. We find that the dynamical behaviour of the GCS is strongly influenced by the fraction of bound dark matter f_{DM} remaining in the galaxy. Only when f_{DM} falls to ~15%, do stars and GCs begin to be stripped. Still the observed GC velocity dispersion can be used to measure the true enclosed mass to within a factor of 2, even when f_{DM} falls as low as ~3%. This is possible partly because unbound GCs quickly separate from the galaxy body. However even the distribution of {\it{bound}} GCs may spatially expand by a factor of 2-3. Once f_{DM} falls into the