Bibcode
Scarpa, R.; Marconi, G.; Gilmozzi, R.; Carraro, G.
Referencia bibliográfica
VizieR On-line Data Catalog: J/A+A/462/L9. Originally published in: 2007A&A...462L...9S
Fecha de publicación:
11
2006
Número de citas
0
Número de citas referidas
0
Descripción
A test of Newton's law of gravity in the low acceleration regime using
globular clusters is presented and new results for the core collapsed
globular cluster NGC 7099 given. The run of the gravitational potential
as a function of distance is probed by studying the velocity dispersion
profile of the cluster, as derived from a set of 125 radial velocities
with accuracy better than 1km/s. The velocity dispersion profile is
traced up to ~18pc from the cluster center. The dispersion is found to
be maximal at the center, then decrease until 10+/-2pc from the center,
well inside the cluster tidal radius of 42pc. After that the dispersion
remains basically constant with an average value of 2.2+/-0.3km/s.
Assuming a total V magnitude of M(V)=-7.43mag for NGC 7099, the
acceleration at 10+/-2pc from the center is
1.1+0.4-0.3{tau}x10-8cm/s2^, where
{tau} is the mass-to-light ratio. Thus, for {tau}>~2 typical of
globular clusters, the flattening of the velocity dispersion profile
occurs for a value of the internal acceleration of gravity that is fully
consistent with a0=1.2x10-8cm/s2
observed in galaxies. This new result for NGC 7099 brings to 4 the
clusters with velocity dispersion profile probing acceleration below
a0. All four have been found to have a flat dispersion
profile at large radii where the acceleration is below a0,
thereby mimicking elliptical galaxies qualitatively and quantitatively.
Whether this indicates a failure of Newtonian dynamics in the low
acceleration limit or some more conventional dynamical effect (e.g.,
tidal heating) is still unclear. However, the similarities emerging
between very different globular clusters, as well as between globular
clusters and elliptical galaxies, seem to favor the first of these two
possibilities.
(1 data file).