Heated Disc Stars in the Stellar Halo

Details Heated Disc Stars in the Stellar Halo Heated Disc Stars in the Stellar Halo

2009-10-28

arxiv.org/abs/0910.5481v3

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Galaxy Astrophysics

9 pages, 5 figures; MNRAS accepted

Scientific paper

Minor accretion events with mass ratio M_sat : M_host ~ 1:10 are common in the context of LCDM cosmology. We use high-resolution simulations of Galaxy-analogue systems to show that these mergers can dynamically eject disk stars into a diffuse light component that resembles a stellar halo both spatially and kinematically. For a variety of orbital configurations, we find that ~3-5e8 M_sun of primary stellar disk material is ejected to a distance larger than 5 kpc above the galactic plane. This ejected contribution is similar to the mass contributed by the tidal disruption of the satellite galaxy itself, though it is less extended. If we restrict our analysis to the approximate solar neighborhood in the disk plane, we find that ~1% of the initial disk stars in that region would be classified kinematically as halo stars. Our results suggest that the inner parts of galactic stellar halos contain ancient disk stars and that these stars may have been liberated in the very same events that delivered material to the outer stellar halo.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Heated Disc Stars in the Stellar Halo 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 Heated Disc Stars in the Stellar Halo, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Heated Disc Stars in the Stellar Halo will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-403970