Cosmological N-body simulations of galaxy merging

Journal Article · Fri Feb 15 04:00:00 EST 1980 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/157716· OSTI ID:5392127

Aarseth, S J; Fall, S M

We report here on a series of N-body experiments designed to simulate galaxy merging in a cosmological setting and test the hypothesis that bright elliptical galaxies are merger remnants. In the simulations, merging occurs hierarchically and mainly from marginally bound two-body orbits of low angular momentum. This results in a radius-mass relation of the form r/sub h/proportionalm/sup 0.85/ and a low value lambdaapprox. =0.07 for the characteristic spin of merger remnants. The fraction of remnants is higher in groups than it is in the field, and their mass function progressively flattens as the result of a runaway effect. The number and distribution of merger remnants, however, depend somewhat on the initial conditions. Large-scale clustering is not affected by merging, but small-scale clustering depends sensitively on the merging process. In particular, groups are often dominated by a few massive members, but their growth is expected to depend on the nature of an inferred dark component of clustered material. The results agree qualitatively and, in some cases, quantitatively with a large body of observational material on the structure and clustering properties of bright elliptical galaxies. Although the simulations are idealized in several respects and cover a limited range of initial conditions, they do support the idea that many bright elliptical galaxies are merger remnants.

• Research Organization: Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge, England
• OSTI ID: 5392127
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 236:1; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
GALACTIC EVOLUTION
GALAXIES
GALAXY CLUSTERS
LUMINOSITY
MASS
MATHEMATICS
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES