Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jan 1987
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1987mnras.224..349b&link_type=abstract
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (ISSN 0035-8711), vol. 224, Jan. 15, 1987, p. 349-366. ZWO-supported research.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
76
Astronomical Models, Galactic Rotation, Kinetic Friction, Orbit Decay, Chandrasekhar Equation, Coefficient Of Friction, Mass Distribution, Three Dimensional Models
Scientific paper
The decay of the orbit of a satellite galaxy around a large galaxy is investigated using a three-dimensional model in which the large galaxy is represented by a self-consistent 5000-particle distribution (polytrope of index 3). The satellite is modelled with a softened point mass. It is found that the global responses in the large galaxy which are induced by the presence of the satellite are not dynamically important. The decay of the satellite orbit can be well described by Chandrasekhar's (1943) formula for dynamical friction, provided that variations in density and corrections for streaming motions are taken into account. These results imply that for the systems discussed in this paper the decay process through dynamical friction can be characterized as a local process. For a variety of satellite masses and radii, the coefficient of dynamical friction ln Lambda at many instants during the decay of the orbit is determined, and is found to be nearly constant, except in the outer tenth of the main galaxy's mass distribution.
Bontekoe Romke Tj.
van Albada Tjeerd S.
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