NGC 3640 and NGC 3641 globular cluster system

NGC 3640 is a shell galaxy which presents a complex morphology, which previous studies have indicated as the sign of a recent 'dry' merger, although whether its nearest neighbour could have influenced these substructures remains an open question.

In this work, we trace the spatial distribution of the globular clusters (GCs) as well as their colour distribution, finding a potential bridge of red (metal-rich) GCs that connects NGC 3640 to its less massive companion, and signs that the blue (metal-poor) GCs were spatially disturbed by the event that created the shells. While NGC 3640 presents a typical bimodal colour distribution, the GCS attributed to NGC 3641 appears unimodal, with most GCs presenting an intermediate colour in comparison to those closer to its companion.