Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Jun 1992
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1992a%26a...259...25p&link_type=abstract
Astronomy and Astrophysics (ISSN 0004-6361), vol. 259, no. 1, p. 25-38.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
31
Elliptical Galaxies, Galactic Evolution, Galactic Mass, Many Body Problem, Approximation, Friction, Kinematic Equations
Scientific paper
By numerical simulations, we study the detailed processes of dynamical friction between two elliptical galaxies. We confirm that the feedback mechanism of self-gravity is unimportant to predict the braking of the two objects and their merging time. We study the deformation of the primary, by splitting up its potential in multipoles in its center of mass frame. The phase lag between the quadrupole and the rigid secondary is monitored, and can be interpreted in terms of a forced viscous harmonic oscillator. The quadrupole deformation is not sufficient however to account for all the friction force. We show that the octupole deformation participates significantly to the friction, and we can reproduce the whole phenomenon by taking into account the 1 = 2 and 1 = 3 terms only. When the deformation of the secondary is taken into account, tidal forces are so high on the small-mass companion that the merging time is considerably reduced: up to a factor 5, for a mass ratio of 1/10. We conclude that the dynamical friction processes between two elliptical galaxies are global and non-local in essence, and that the Chandrasekhar approach does not correspond to the reality of the phenomenon.
Combes François
Prugniel Ph.
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