TUNA Lunch Talk:

Ricardo Schiavon

NRAO

Abundances in M31 Globular Clusters

October 13

12:10PM, Room 230, NRAO, Edgemont Road

Abstract:

Globular clusters are fundamental tracers of the history of formation of galaxies. Knowledge of their ages and chemical compositions can lend deep insights on the physical mechanisms behind galaxy formation. Using Hectospec, attached to MMT, we have obtained high quality spectra for hundreds of Globular clusters from the Andromeda galaxy. The spectra were used to determine, for the first time, the abundances of carbon, nitrogen, magnesium, calcium, and iron for 176 old and intermediate age M31 globular clusters. I will present the results from this analysis, and discuss their implications for our understanding of the early formation history of Andromeda.