Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2002-10-07
Astron.Astrophys. 393 (2002) L89-L94
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
13 pages, 2 .eps figures, To appear in A & A Letters, Vol. 393, October 2002
Scientific paper
10.1051/0004-6361:20021255
It is commonly accepted that a merger of two spiral galaxies results in a remnant with an elliptical-like surface-brightness profile. Surprisingly, our recent study (Chitre & Jog 2002) of the 2MASS data for twenty-seven advanced mergers of galaxies has shown that half of these have a light distribution that decreases exponentially with radius. Such a distribution normally characterizes a rotationally supported disk in a spiral galaxy. Here we show from kinematic data for two of these mergers, Arp 224 and Arp 214, that the main support against gravitational collapse comes from pressure due to random motion of stars as seen in an elliptical galaxy rather than from rotation. The origin of the unusual combination of properties seen here is a puzzle. The standard theoretical N-body models in the literature cannot account for these systems. Further observational and dynamical studies of this new class of merger remnants are needed, and would be important for understanding merger dynamics and galaxy evolution.
Chitre Aparna
Jog Chanda J.
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