Globular cluster candidates uncovered by VVVX and MUSE

Abstract: The Milky Way has about 220 cataloged globular clusters. This number is far smaller than what is found in a similar galaxy such as Andromeda, which has about 600 globular clusters. Two possible reasons for this large difference might be observational bias and cluster dissolution. The infrared photometric survey VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea Extended has discovered many globular cluster candidates toward the Galactic bulge that need confirmation. We confirm the globular cluster nature of four candidates from the Galactic bulge based on radial velocities from MUSE data. Following our previous experience and method, we searched for a peak in the radial velocity distribution by deconvolving the radial velocity distribution into its bulge, disk, and potential cluster components. For Minni 23, we confirm the previously found parameters: this is an old and metal-rich bulge globular cluster. Additionally, we found a radial velocity peak associated with the candidate globular cluster Minni 07, with $μ<em>{RV,cl}=80^{+26}</em>{-22}$ ${\rm km\ s}<sup>{-1}$, $σ<em>{RV,cl}=48^{+15}</em>{-15}$ ${\rm km\ s}<sup>{-1}$. We also derived $A_V=1.5$ and [Fe/H]$\approx-0.27$ for Minni 07. On the other hand, we were unable to reliably confirm the globular cluster nature for the candidates Minni 10 and Minni 19 with the currently available data. The devised strategy has proven to be efficient for the proposed goals, and it is worth repeating it for the larger sample of candidate globular clusters.