Lack of nuclear clusters in dwarf spheroidal galaxies: implications for massive black holes formation and the cusp/core problem

Understand

One of the leading scenarios for the formation of nuclear star clusters in galaxies is related to the orbital decay of globular clusters (GCs) and their subsequent merging, though alternative theories are currently debated.

• The availability of high-quality data for GCs structural and orbital parameters allow to test different nuclear star cluster formation scenarios.
• The Fornax dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxy is the heaviest satellite of the Milky Way and it is the only known dwarf spheroidal hosting 5 GCs, whereas there are no clear signatures for the presence of a central massive black hole.
• For this reason, it represents a suited place to study the orbital decay process in dwarf galaxies.