The Binary Fraction in the Globular Cluster M10 (NGC 6254): Comparing Core and Outer Regions

Abstract

We study the binary fraction of the globular cluster M10 (NGC 6254) as a function of the radius from the cluster core to the outskirts, by means of a quantitative analysis of the color distribution of stars relative to the fiducial main sequence. By taking advantage of two data sets, acquired with the Advanced Camera for Survey and the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 on board the Hubble Space Telescope, we have studied both the core and the external regions of the cluster. The binary fraction is found to decrease from ~14% within the core, to ~1.5% in a region between 1 and 2 half-mass radii from the cluster center. Such a trend and the derived values are in agreement with previous results obtained in clusters of comparable total magnitude. The estimated binary fraction is sufficient to account for the suppression of mass segregation observed in M10, without any need to invoke the presence of an intermediate-mass black hole in its center.

Based on observations collected with the NASA/ESA HST, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by AURA, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555.