Galaxy mergers and globular clusters

Abstract

It is found from an analysis of recent observations that field ellipticals contain about five times, and Virgo ellipticals about 10 times, as many globular clusters as would be expected if they had been formed by merger of typical spirals. The fast rotating elliptical NGC 3557 may be an exception. The possibility that the globular clusters in elliptical galaxies were formed as a direct consequence of the merger itself is in contradiction with the observation (Forte et al., 1981) that the globular clusters surrounding three Virgo E galaxies are bluer than the background light of the galaxies on which they are superimposed