The observed radial UBV colour variations (both B-V and U-B) of some globular clusters are examined for correlations with radial variations in the integrated spectra. The results show that the presence of a radial colour gradient is correlated with the presence of a gradient of the CN (and possibly the G-band) line strength, in the sense that the CN (and possibly the G-band) is stronger in the centre (where the cluster is redder) and becomes weaker in the outer region of the cluster (where the cluster is bluer). This may suggest that a primordial abundance, possibly nitrogen and carbon gradient was set up in the early stage of cluster formation.

Defining a metal parameter ( S p ) c , which is related to the morphological parameters of C-M diagrams, we have estimated metal abundances for 97 globular clusters in our Galaxy. A correlation between absolute magnitude of the horizontal branch and metal abundance is derived, which is used for the determining distances to globular clusters whose visual magnitudes of the horizontal branch are known. The space distribution of globular clusters and the chemical evolution of the halo are examined. Our analysis suggests an initial mean gradient of metallicity to be d[Fe/H]/ d r G = -0.06 k p c − 1 for the halo in galactocentric distance, r G <20 kpc. Our findings also imply a slow collapse of protogalaxy.

Surface density distributions for globular clusters were obtained from photoelectric surface photometry (using centered aperture photometry). These surface brightness profiles were then compared with the theoretical surface density distribution of King's model. From the comparison of the theoretical and observed surface density distributions, we determine he structural parameters of the clusters (the core radius r c , the tidal cut off r t , and the concentration factor C).

The two methods for the derivation of helium abundance are presented. The magnitude of the largest bump along the red giant branch is fainter as helium abundance decreases and metal abundance increases. Using this relation and observed bump magnitude, the He-abundances of globular clusters are estimated. The another method is to use the relation that the ratio of asymptotic giant branch and horizontal branch stars increases with decreasing He-abundance. The comparison of the He-abundances derived from the two methods with those derived from the other two methods shows that they are consistent within the dispersion less than Δ Y = 0.1 .

The four dimensional classification of globular dusters with the parameters, Z, Y, age and HB type is presented defining two new parameters. ( B − V ) 1 / 2 a n d S 3 / 2 which are shown to be tightly correlated with Kinman's spectral types and the helium abundances obtained from the R-method, respectively. The Z- and Y- abundances are derived from ( B − V ) 1 / 2 a n d S 3 / 2 , respectively, and the latter parameters determine the age class of clusters with help of Dickens' HB type, which is a function of Z. Y and age. For the examined forty two globular clusters the computed range at Z and Y are 1.5×10 -4 ≤ Z ≤ 4.5×10 -2 and 0.23 ≤ Y ≤ 0.41. The age difference between the oldest (HB type 1) and the youngest (HB type 7) clusters is roughly estimated to be 2 − 4 × 10 9 years. Using these four parameters the known anomalous C-M diagrams seem to be reasonably interpreted without taking into account some complicate parameters such as unusually overabundant heavy elements, mass loss and mass spread, etc. The four dimensional scheme strongly suggests the slow successive collapses of the proto-Galaxy rather than a single fast collapse, and by this slow collapse model the inversion of chemical abundance gradient in the Galaxy can be explained. It is also shown that the clump position along the RGB near the HB level removes down to the fainter magnitude as the Z(Y)- abundance increases (decreases).

We present extra-tidal features of spatial configuration of stars around three metal-poor globular clusters (NGC 6266, NGC 6273, NGC 6681) located in the Galactic bulge. The wide-field photometric data were obtained in BVI bands with the MOSAIC II camera at CTIO 4 m Blanco telescope. The derived color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) contain stars in a total 71´×71´area including a cluster and its surrounding field outside of the tidal radius of the cluster. Applying statistical filtering technique, we minimized the field star contaminations on the obtained cluster CMDs and extracted the cluster members. On the spatial stellar density maps around the target clusters, we found overdensity features beyond the tidal radii of the clusters. We also found that the radial density profiles of the clusters show departures from the best-fit King model for their outer regions which support the overdensity patterns.