The formation of counterrotating cores in elliptical galaxies

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/169204· OSTI ID:6174523

Balcells, M; Quinn, P J ^[1]

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1. Washburn Observatory, Madison, WI (USA) Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD (USA) Mount Stromlo and Siding Springs Observatories, Canberra (Australia)

The mechanism proposed by Kormendy (1984) for the formation of counterrotating cores in elliptical galaxies is investigated using self-consistent numerical simulations of mergers between a high- and a low-luminosity elliptical galaxies. The conditions for a counterrotation to appear are determined, observational properties of the remnants are described, and the evolution of the structural and kinematic parameters of the larger galaxy is analyzed. It is shown that a counterrotation results only when the merging orbits are retrograde, due to a large change in the secondary spin during the merger. 36 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6174523
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal; (USA) Vol. 361; ISSN ASJOA; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
BASIC INTERACTIONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COMPUTERS
CONFIGURATION
CRAY COMPUTERS
ELLIPTICAL CONFIGURATION
GALAXIES
GALAXY NUCLEI
GRAVITATIONAL INTERACTIONS
INTERACTIONS
MOTION
PHOTOMETRY
ROTATION
SIMULATION