Probing the GC-LMXB Connection in NGC 1399: A Wide-field Study with the Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra

Maurizio Paolillo, Thomas H Puzia, Paul Goudfrooij, Stephen E Zepf, Thomas Maccarone, Arunav Kundu, Giuesppina Fabbiano, Lorella Angelini

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We present a wide-field study of the globular cluster (GC)/low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) connection in the giant elliptical NGC 1399. The large field of view of the Advanced Camera for Surveys/WFC, combined with Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra high resolution, allow us to constrain the LMXB formation scenarios in elliptical galaxies. We confirm that NGC 1399 has the highest LMXB fraction in GCs of all nearby elliptical galaxies studied so far, even though the exact value depends on galactocentric distance due to the interplay of a differential GC versus galaxy light distribution and the GC color dependence. In fact, LMXBs are preferentially hosted by bright, red GCs out to >5 R eff of the galaxy light. The finding that GCs hosting LMXBs follow the radial distribution of their parent GC population argues against the hypothesis that the external dynamical influence of the galaxy affects the LMXB formation in GCs. On the other hand, field-LMXBs closely match the host galaxy light, thu
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)90
JournalAstrophysical Journal
StatePublished - Aug 2011

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