Enriched gas in clusters and the dynamics of galaxies and clusters: implications for theories of galaxy formation

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1978 · Comments Astrophys. Space Phys.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6336369

Binney, J ^[1]; Silk, J

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1. Dept. of Theoretical Physics, Oxford, Eng.

It is shown how recent results can be reconciled with a simple picture of galaxy formation which promises to be able to explain the more important properties of the various types of galaxies as they are found both within and without clusters. After discussing the implications of recent observations of x-ray clusters and of the rotation of elliptical galaxies, an attempt is made to construct a picture of the formation of elliptical and spiral galaxies in which galaxies form continuously from red shift z approx. 100 onwards. It is suggested that at a redshift z of roughly 5, a fundamental change occurred in the manner in which the cosmic material fragmented into stellar objects. It seems possible that explanations of a variety of puzzling aspects of galactic evolution, including the formation of Population I disks, the origin of the hot intracluster gas, the mass-to-light ratio stratification of galaxies, and the nature of the galaxy luminosity function, should all be sought in the context of this change of regime. Finally, some remarks are made about gas in poor groups of galaxies and the interaction of disk galaxies with their environments. 32 references. (JFP)

• OSTI ID: 6336369
• Journal Information: Comments Astrophys. Space Phys.; (United States), Vol. 7:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
GALACTIC EVOLUTION
KINETICS
GALAXIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
GALAXY CLUSTERS
GASES
INTERGALACTIC SPACE
LUMINOSITY
MASS
RED SHIFT
ROTATION
X-RAY GALAXIES
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
FLUIDS
MOTION
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
SPACE
640105* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Galaxies