Hubble Space Telescope Proper Motion (HSTPROMO) Catalogs of Galactic Globular Cluster. II. Kinematic Profiles and Maps

Abstract

We present kinematical analyses of 22 Galactic globular clusters using the Hubble Space Telescope proper motion catalogs recently presented in Bellini et al. For most clusters, this is the first proper-motion study ever performed, and, for many, this is the most detailed kinematic study of any kind. We use cleaned samples of bright stars to determine binned velocity-dispersion and velocity-anisotropy radial profiles and two-dimensional velocity-dispersion spatial maps. Using these profiles, we search for correlations between cluster kinematics and structural properties. We find the following: (1) more centrally concentrated clusters have steeper radial velocity-dispersion profiles; (2) on average, at 1σ confidence in two dimensions, the photometric and kinematic centers of globular clusters agree to within ∼1″, with a cluster-to-cluster rms of 4″(including observational uncertainties); (3) on average, the cores of globular clusters have isotropic velocity distributions to within 1% ({{σ }_t}/{{σ }_r}=0.992+/- 0.005), with a cluster-to-cluster rms of 2% (including observational uncertainties); (4) clusters generally have mildly radially anisotropic velocity distributions ({{σ }_t}/{{σ }_r}≈ 0.8-1.0) near the half-mass-radius, with bigger deviations from isotropy for clusters with longer relaxation times; and (5) there is a relation between {{σ }_minor}/{{σ }_major} and ellipticity, such that the more flattened clusters in the sample tend to be more anisotropic, with {{σ }_minor}/{{σ }_major}≈ 0.9-1.0. Aside from these general results and correlations, the profiles and maps presented here can provide a basis for detailed dynamical modeling of individual globular clusters. Given the quality of the data, this is likely to provide new insights into a range of topics concerning globular cluster mass profiles, structure, and dynamics.

Based on proprietary and archival observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by AURA, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555.