Variable stars in the VVV globular clusters

Abstract

The VVV survey observed some of the most crowded and most obscured regions in the inner MilkyWay during the last years. A significant sample of the less known globular clusters in our galaxy lie there. Combining the high-resolution, wide-field, nearinfrared capabilities of the survey camera, the use of 5 different filters, and multi-epoch observations, we are able to overcome many of the previous challenges that prevented a proper study of these objects. Particularly, the identification of the RR Lyrae stars in these globular clusters is proving to be a fundamental tool to establish accurately their distances and reddenings, and to infer information about the Oosterhoff dichotomy that Galactic globular clusters seem to follow.