Methods for determining the masses of spherical systems. I - Test particles around a point mass

Details Methods for determining the masses of spherical systems. I - Test particles around a point mass Methods for determining the masses of spherical systems. I - Test particles around a point mass

Mar 1981

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1981apj...244..805b&link_type=abstract

Astrophysical Journal, Part 1, vol. 244, Mar. 15, 1981, p. 805-819.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

212

Celestial Mechanics, Galactic Clusters, Mass Distribution, Stellar Motions, Andromeda Galaxy, Monte Carlo Method, Quasars, Radial Velocity, Spheres, Spiral Galaxies, Statistical Analysis, Virial Theorem

Scientific paper

Mass estimators for spherical systems may be based either on the virial theorem or on moments of the projected mass q= (projected distance) × (radial velocity)2/G. The statistical characteristics of both estimators are derived and discussed for the special case of test particles bound to a massive central object. We illustrate their relative merits by a series of Monte Carlo experiments. We find that the projected mass method is generally more reliable than the virial theorem. We apply our results to three systems: 3C 273, Ml0l, and M3l. The mass of 3C 273 is estimated to be 5 × l013h-1 Msun from radial velocities of companion galaxies measured by Stockton. The mass of M101 within ∼400 kpc is found to be about 2 × l012 Msun. The mass of M3l within ∼100 kpc is found to be about 1 × 1012 Msun, an order of magnitude larger than given by the virial theorem from the same data, but consistent with the optical and 21 cm rotation curves.

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