Globular Clusters as Chemodynamical Tracers of Galaxy Assembly Beyond the Local Group

该项目将对椭圆星系和透镜状星系的球状星团群体进行详细研究，以解决星系结构和形成方面的关键问题，特别是：（一）早期类型星系的质量、角动量、轨道结构和金属丰度是什么？(ii)与之相关的暗物质分布情况如何？(iii)它们的内部和外部区域是如何组合的，这些过程是解耦的吗？(iv)它们的装配如何依赖于质量和环境？(v)观测结果与星系形成的理论模型一致吗？和，（vi）可以确定原始形成网站的GC？这项研究将包括：（1）对25个早期型星系及其GC系统进行详细、系统的观测调查，直到非常大的银河系中心半径，并辅之以场星星和行星状星云数据;（2）动力学建模，以恢复质量和轨道信息;（3）与星系和GC形成的宇宙学模拟进行比较。该项目将支持一名研究生和一名博士后研究员的工作和专业指导。提议的团队将把数据和调查结果作为一个可公开访问的数据库发布，并将继续和扩大他们与科学伙伴组织的教育和公共宣传伙伴关系。

This project will carry out a detailed study of the globular cluster (GC) populations of elliptical and lenticular galaxies in order to address key questions in galaxy structure and formation, specifically: (i) What are the masses, angular momenta, orbital structures, and metallicities of early-type galaxies? (ii) What is the distribution of dark matter associated with them? (iii) How are their inner and outer regions assembled, and are these processes decoupled? (iv) How does their assembly depend on mass and environment? (v) Do the observations agree with theoretical models of galaxy formation? And, (vi) can the primordial formation sites of GCs be identified? The study will be comprised of (1) a detailed, systematic observational survey of 25 early-type galaxies and their GC systems out to very large galactocentric radii, complemented with field star and planetary nebulae data; (2) dynamical modeling to recover mass and orbital information; and (3) comparisons to cosmological simulations of galaxy and GC formation. The project will support the work and professional mentoring of a graduate student and a postdoctoral researcher. The proposing team will release the data and survey results as a publicly accessible database, and will also continue and expand their education and public outreach partnership with the Science Buddies organization.