Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2006-10-31
Mon.Not.Roy.Astron.Soc.374:1125-1145,2007
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
14 figures, 6 tables; acc. for pub. in MNRAS
Scientific paper
10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.11228.x
There are two fundamentally different physical origins of faint satellite galaxies: cosmological sub-structures that contain shining baryons and the fragmentation of gas-rich tidal arms thrown out from interacting galaxies during hierarchical structure formation. The latter tidal-dwarf galaxies (TDG) may form populations with correlated orbital angular momenta about their host galaxies. The existence of TDGs is a stringent necessity because they arise as a result of fundamental physical principals. We determine the significance of the apparent disc-like distribution of Milky Way (MW) satellite galaxies. The distribution of the MW satellites is found to be inconsistent with an isotropic or prolate DM sub-structure distribution at a 99.5 per cent level including the recently discovered UMa and CVn dwarf spheroidal galaxies. The distribution is extremely oblate and inclined by about $88\degr$ with respect to the the MW disc. We also apply the methods to Andromeda's (M31) satellite galaxies using two recently published data-sets. It can not be excluded that the whole population of M31 companions is drawn randomly from an isotropic parent distribution. However, two subsamples of Andromeda satellites are identified which have disc-like features. [abbreviated]
Jerjen Helmut
Kroupa Pavel
Metz Manuel
No associations
LandOfFree
The spatial distribution of the Milky Way and Andromeda satellite galaxies does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The spatial distribution of the Milky Way and Andromeda satellite galaxies, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The spatial distribution of the Milky Way and Andromeda satellite galaxies will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-46384