Computer Science
Scientific paper
Feb 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011eas....45..389d&link_type=abstract
EAS Publications Series, Volume 45, 2011, pp.389-392
Computer Science
Scientific paper
By means of N-body simulations, we have investigated the impact of minor mergers on the angular momentum content and kinematical properties of a disc galaxy. Our simulations cover a range of initial orbital characteristics and the system consists of a massive galaxy with a bulge and a stellar disc merging with a much less massive gasless companion. Our results show that: (1) during the process of merging, the disc of the primary galaxy becomes kinematically hotter and thicker; (2) its specific angular momentum always decreases, independent of the orbit or morphology of the satellite galaxy; (3) the decrease in the rotation velocity of the primary galaxy is accompanied by a change in the anisotropy of the stellar orbits, which becomes increasingly radially dominated as the merger advances; (4) the radial velocity dispersion increases at all radii, but in particular in the outermost regions; (5) at the same time, the transverse velocity decreases throughout the whole disc, except in the inner region, where the constribution of bulge stars leads to an increase of σt.
Di Matteo Paola
Driel Wim van
Jog Chanda J.
Lehnert Matt D.
Qu Yan
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