Dynamical models of highly flattened oblate elliptical galaxies with De Vaucouleurs' surface-brightness profiles
Two surveys of dynamical models of E6 elliptical galaxies were constructed with de Vaucouleurs'surface-brightness distributions. One set of models has a constant mass-to-light ratio. The other set consists of models embedded in oblate isothermal gravitational potentials. In both sets, the observed axis ratio of the models is 0.55 when viewed edge-on. When viewed edge-on, it is possible to construct models in either potential that have velocity-dispersion profiles that increase or decrease with radius along either or both principal axes. The observational data seem to indicate that dispersion profiles decrease or remain constant as function of radius. The most surprising result of this work is that in order for a model to have velocity-dispersion profiles that decrease with radius out to 1.5 r(e) along both principal axes, it must be dominated by fairly thin-walled tube orbits at large radii. This is very different from the spherical case, where radial orbits dominate at large radii. 16 references.
- Research Organization:
- Fillmore Systems, Inc., Bloomington, MN (USA); NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6286808
- Journal Information:
- Astron. J.; (United States), Vol. 97
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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