Tidal Stripping of Globular Clusters

Abstract

We have analyzed 9 galaxies taken from the ACS Virgo Cluster Survey to study the tidal stripping of globular clusters in early type galaxies. We estimate the specific frequency (S_N) of globular clusters in the cluster galaxies, our results indicate that the mean S_N increases with the galactocentric distance. However, if the blue and red globular clusters populations are analyzed separately, this effect is only present for the blue population, which is typically the most extended and therefore most affected by tidal effects. The aforementioned results are interpreted as evidence of tidal stripping of globular clusters due to both the cluster potential well and galaxy-galaxy interactions.