Multiple stellar populations in the globular cluster M3 (NGC 5272): A Strömgren perspective

Abstract

We present Strömgren photometry of the Galactic Globular Cluster M3 to study its multiple generations phenomenon. The use of different colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) and especially of the notoriously efficient cy index allowed us to detect a double red giant branch in the cluster CMD. After decontamination from fore- and background sources, the two sequences turned out to be equally populated. The two components also show a bimodal radial distribution well corresponding to that predicted by numerical simulations for clusters living in an intermediate dynamical evolutive state and with a population with modified chemical composition that was born more centrally concentrated than the primordial. The analysis of high-resolution spectra quantitatively demonstrates that the two detected sequences correspond to the first (Na-poor) generation and the second (Na-rich) generation, thus confirming the importance of synergy between photometry and spectroscopy.