Pfeffer, J, Forbes, DA, Romanowsky, AJ, Bastian, N, Crain, RA, Kruijssen, JMD, Bekki, K, Brodie, JP, Chevance, M, Couch, WJ and Gannon, JS (2024) Comparing E-MOSAICS predictions of high-redshift proto-globular clusters with JWST observations in lensed galaxies. MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, 536 (2). pp. 1878-1893. ISSN 0035-8711

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Abstract

High-resolution imaging and strong gravitational lensing of high-redshift galaxies have enabled the detection of compact sources with properties similar to nearby massive star clusters. Often found to be very young, these sources may be globular clusters detected in their earliest stages. In this work, we compare predictions of high-redshift (z ∼ 1–10) star cluster properties from the E-MOSAICS simulation of galaxy and star cluster formation with those of the star cluster candidates in strongly lensed galaxies from JWST and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging. We select galaxies in the simulation that match the luminosities of the majority of lensed galaxies with star cluster candidates observed with JWST. We find that the luminosities, ages, and masses of the brightest star cluster candidates in the high-redshift galaxies are consistent with the E-MOSAICS model. In particular, the brightest cluster ages are in excellent agreement. The results suggest that star clusters in both low- and high-redshift galaxies may form via common mechanisms. However, the brightest clusters in the lensed galaxies tend to be ≈ 1–1.5 mag brighter and ≈ 0.5 dex more massive than the median E-MOSAICS predictions. We discuss the large number of effects that could explain the discrepancy, including simulation and observational limitations, stellar population models, cluster detection biases, and nuclear star clusters. Understanding these limitations would enable stronger tests of globular cluster formation models.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	galaxies: high redshift; galaxies: star clusters: general; globular clusters: general; globular clusters: general; galaxies: high redshift; galaxies: star clusters: general; 5101 Astronomical Sciences; 51 Physical Sciences; 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences; Astronomy & Astrophysics; 5101 Astronomical sciences; 5107 Particle and high energy physics; 5109 Space sciences
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy Q Science > QC Physics
Divisions:	Astrophysics Research Institute
Publisher:	Oxford University Press (OUP)
SWORD Depositor:	A Symplectic
Date Deposited:	14 Apr 2025 11:03
Last Modified:	14 Apr 2025 11:03
DOI or ID number:	10.1093/mnras/stae2665
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/26178

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