We present a photometric study of the field lenticular galaxy NGC 4546 using Gemini/GMOS imaging in g ^ { \prime } r ^ { \prime } i ^ { \prime } z ^ { \prime } .
We perform a 2D image decomposition of the surface brightness distribution of the galaxy using galfit , finding that four components adequately describe it .
The subtraction of this model from our images and the construction of a colour map allow us to examine in great detail the asymmetric dust structures around the galactic centre .
In addition , we perform a detailed analysis of the globular cluster ( GC ) system of NGC 4546 .
Using a Gaussian Mixture Model algorithm in the colour-colour plane we detected hints of multiple groups of GC candidates : the classic blue and red subpopulations , a group with intermediate colours that present a concentrated spatial distribution towards the galaxy , and an additional group towards the red end of the colour distribution .
We estimate a total GC population for NGC 4546 of 390 \pm 60 members and specific frequency S _ { N } = 3.3 \pm 0.7 , which is relatively high compared to the typical value for galaxies of similar masses and environment .
We suggest that the unusual GC population substructures were possibly formed during the interaction that led to the formation of the young ultra-compact dwarf ( NGC 4546-UCD1 ) found in this system .
Finally , we estimate the distance modulus of NGC 4546 by analyzing its luminosity function , resulting in ( m - M ) = 30.75 \pm 0.12 mag ( 14.1 Mpc ) .