Possible subgroups of globular clusters and planetary nebulae in NGC 5128

摘要

We use recently compiled position and velocity data for the globular cluster and planetary nebula subsystems in NGC 5128, the nearby giant elliptical, to search for evidence of past dwarf-satellite accretion events. Beyond a 10′ (～11 kpc) radius in galactocentric distance, we find tentative evidence for four subgroups of globular clusters and four subgroups of planetary nebulae. These each have more than four members within a search radius of 2′ and internal velocity dispersion of ?40 km s -1, typical parameters for a dwarf galaxy. In addition, two of the globular cluster groupings overlap with two of the planetary nebulae groupings, and two subgroupings also appear to overlap with previously known arc and shell features in the halo light. Simulation tests of our procedure indicate that the probability of finding false groups due to chance is <1.