Recent observations of globular clusters in intermediate-age ( 2–4 Gyr old ) merger remnants have provided the hitherto “ missing link ” between between young merger remnants and normal elliptical galaxies .
The luminosity functions ( LFs ) of the “ blue ” globular clusters exhibit a Gaussian shape centered on M _ { V } \sim - 7.2 as found for giant ellipticals , while the “ red ” clusters exhibit LFs that are more extended towards both the bright and faint ends , as expected for a cluster population of intermediate age .
Specific frequencies for these systems have been calculated by evolving both the LF of the “ red ” clusters and the parent galaxy luminosity to an age of 10 Gyr .
They are found to be consistent with the values found for giant ellipticals in poor clusters .
These findings support the viability of the “ merger scenario ” for forming the “ red ” GCs in giant early-type galaxies .