Keck Spectroscopy of Globular Clusters in the Virgo Cluster Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy VCC 1386

We present the results of a Keck spectroscopic study of globular clustersassociated with the Virgo Cluster dwarf elliptical VCC 1386. We analyze bluespectroscopic absorption lines from 3500-5500 A for 13 globular clustercandidates and confirm that five are associated with VCC 1386. By comparingmetal and Balmer line indices of these globular clusters with alpha-enhancedsingle stellar population models we find that these systems are metal poor with[Fe/H] < -1.35 and old, with ages > 5 Gyr at 3 sigma confidence, placing theirformation at z >1. This is one of the first spectroscopic studies of globularclusters surrounding dwarfs in a cluster, revealing that some low mass galaxiesin rich environments form at least part of their stellar mass early in thehistory of the universe. We further find that the luminosity weighted stellarpopulation of VCC 1386 itself is younger, and more metal rich than its globularclusters, consistent with (V-I)_0 colors from Hubble Space Telescope imaging.This implies that VCC 1386, like Local Group dEs, has had multiple episodes ofstar formation. Globular clusters associated with low luminosity systemshowever appear to be roughly as old as those associated with giant galaxies,contrary to the `downsizing' formation of their bulk stellar populations.Comment: ApJ, in pres