N-body simulations of slow tidal encounters and the formation of galactic halos

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1980 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/158409· OSTI ID:6565244

Dekel, A; Lecar, M; Shaham, J

Slow hyperbolic encounters, between a 250-body spherical system (a halo) and a few-body perturber of comparable total mass, are studied by means of N-body simulations. The tidal effect on a system which initially has a decreasing M(R)/R profile (rhoproportionalR/sup -3/) is to produce, or extend, and inner region of constant M/R, to encompass 50 to 70% of the bound mass. In the process, gradual stripping of up to one-third of the stars from the regions outside the half-radius R/sub h/ takes place, and no relaxed extended envelope forms. The flat inner profile is retained under tandem encounters while the outer parts are continuously stripped. These tidal effects are important whenever the closest approach distance of the centers of mass is less than about 5R/sub h/, and whenever their relative velocities are not much larger than the internal dispersion velocities.

• Research Organization: Hebrew Univ., Jerusalem, Israel
• OSTI ID: 6565244
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 241:3; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BASIC INTERACTIONS
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DISTURBANCES
ENERGY TRANSFER
GALACTIC EVOLUTION
GALAXIES
GALAXY CLUSTERS
GRAVITATIONAL INTERACTIONS
INTERACTIONS
MANY-BODY PROBLEM
MASS TRANSFER
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
SIMULATION