Beyond the Rings: Polar Ring Galaxy NGC 4262 and its Globular Cluster System
arxiv(2024)
Abstract
In the context of the hierarchical model of galaxy evolution, polar ring
galaxies (PRGs) are considered the intermediate phase between ongoing mergers
and quiescent galaxies. This study explores the globular cluster system (GCS)
and its properties in the nearest PRG, NGC4262, serving as a pilot
investigation to study GCS in nearby PRGs. We utilize wide and deep field
observations of the CFHT as part of the NGVS to investigate the GCS of NGC4262.
We presented the first optical image of NGC4262 with an optically faint ring
component. The photometric analysis of the GCS displays a distinct color
bimodality. We estimate the total number of GCs for NGC4262 to be 266±16
GCs with a specific frequency of 4.2±0.8 and a specific mass of
0.23±0.01, which is relatively high compared to other galaxies of similar
mass and environmental conditions. The spatial and azimuthal distributions of
subpopulations reveal strong evidence of previous interactions within the host
galaxy. The color distribution of GCS in NGC4262 shows a gradient of
-0.05±0.01 within 5.5, supporting the notion of past interactions
and evolutionary transitions. PRG NGC4262 conforms to the overall trend of the
GCS mass with respect to the halo mass. Furthermore, our investigation of the
global scaling relations between GCS and host galaxy parameters provides
further support for the hypothesis that PRGs are an intermediate phase
connecting ongoing mergers and quiescent galaxies.
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