Cluster Swapping

Abstract

The investigation of globular cluster swapping in clusters of galaxies has resulted in some interesting theoretical findings and, at the same time, it offers a promising field for observers. Numerical simulations of galaxy clusters where the galaxies have swarms of test particles around them showed that, in addition to tidal stripping, tidal accretion plays an important role in the dynamical evolution of clusters of galaxies; it also turns out that, even in clusters where the gravitational field is dominated by a massive background, the galaxy-galaxy attraction cannot be ignored when estimating the outcome of collisions. Cluster swapping is just an example of tidal accretion and, taking the globulars as probes of halo material, it might offer an opportunity to observe some consequences of that effect; besides, although the difficulties look formidable at present, the study of globulars lost through tidal stripping is a possibility that should not be neglected. Tidal stripping and accretion processes are very sensitive to the ratio of galactic mass to total mass, so that observations related to the cluster swapping phenomena may provide a new means to investigate the missing mass problem.