Intracluster globular clusters

Intracluster globular clusters (also known as Intracluster GCs^[1] or shortened to ICGCs^[2]) are a type of globular cluster (GC) that are not bounded by the gravity of individual galaxies. Because they are unbounded by galaxies, they roam freely throughout galaxy clusters.^[3] Theses types of globular clusters originate as debris that were tidally stripped from interacting galaxies or galaxy mergers, often stripped off from low-mass dwarf galaxies.^[4] They may alternatively form as an already unbounded globular clusters (in situ).^[3]^[5]

Reference

^ Yahagi, Hideki; Bekki, Kenji (November 2005). "Formation of intracluster globular clusters". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 364 (1): L86 – L90. doi:10.1111/j.1745-3933.2005.00111.x. ISSN 0035-8711.
^ Kluge, M.; Hatch, N. A.; Montes, M.; Golden-Marx, J. B.; Gonzalez, A. H.; Cuillandre, J.-C.; Bolzonella, M.; Lançon, A.; Laureijs, R. (2024-11-15), Euclid: Early Release Observations -- The intracluster light and intracluster globular clusters of the Perseus cluster, arXiv, doi:10.48550/arXiv.2405.13503, arXiv:2405.13503, retrieved 2025-07-11
^ ^a ^b West, Michael J.; Cote, Patrick; Jones, Christine; Forman, William; Marzke, Rondald O. (November 1995). "Intracluster Globular Clusters". The Astrophysical Journal. 453: L77. doi:10.1086/309748. ISSN 0004-637X.
^ Lee, Myung Gyoon; Park, Hong Soo; Hwang, Ho Seong (April 2010). "Detection of a Large-Scale Structure of Intracluster Globular Clusters in the Virgo Cluster". Science. 328 (5976): 334. doi:10.1126/science.1186496. ISSN 0036-8075.
^ Bassino, L. P.; Cellone, S. A.; Forte, J. C.; Dirsch, B. (2003-02-01). "Globular cluster candidates within the Fornax Cluster: Intracluster globulars?". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 399 (2): 489–496. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20021810. ISSN 0004-6361.

[1] Yahagi, Hideki; Bekki, Kenji (November 2005). "Formation of intracluster globular clusters". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 364 (1): L86 – L90. doi:10.1111/j.1745-3933.2005.00111.x. ISSN 0035-8711.

[2] Kluge, M.; Hatch, N. A.; Montes, M.; Golden-Marx, J. B.; Gonzalez, A. H.; Cuillandre, J.-C.; Bolzonella, M.; Lançon, A.; Laureijs, R. (2024-11-15), Euclid: Early Release Observations -- The intracluster light and intracluster globular clusters of the Perseus cluster, arXiv, doi:10.48550/arXiv.2405.13503, arXiv:2405.13503, retrieved 2025-07-11

[:0-3] West, Michael J.; Cote, Patrick; Jones, Christine; Forman, William; Marzke, Rondald O. (November 1995). "Intracluster Globular Clusters". The Astrophysical Journal. 453: L77. doi:10.1086/309748. ISSN 0004-637X.

[4] Lee, Myung Gyoon; Park, Hong Soo; Hwang, Ho Seong (April 2010). "Detection of a Large-Scale Structure of Intracluster Globular Clusters in the Virgo Cluster". Science. 328 (5976): 334. doi:10.1126/science.1186496. ISSN 0036-8075.

[5] Bassino, L. P.; Cellone, S. A.; Forte, J. C.; Dirsch, B. (2003-02-01). "Globular cluster candidates within the Fornax Cluster: Intracluster globulars?". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 399 (2): 489–496. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20021810. ISSN 0004-6361.

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