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Do Globular Clusters Merge or Contain Supernova Remnants?

-- | August 16, 2014

Question: Does globular clusters merge similar to galactic mergers? Why there are no supernova remnants in globular clusters as we see in our milky way, even though globular clusters contains older stars? — Vinod

Answer: Yes, it has been suggested that globular clusters can and have merged. The evidence for these mergers comes from observations of the stars in suspected merger globular clusters which show a “split personality”. Regarding the existence of supernova remnants in globular clusters, in principal these objects should exist. It is possible that a white dwarf plus red giant binary star system can result in the white dwarf becoming a Type 1a supernovae. I don’t believe that the probably of such a Type 1a supernova occurring all that great, though, as the density of stars in globular clusters tends to disrupt the stability of multiple star systems.

Jeff Mangum

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