Other
Scientific paper
Mar 1976
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1976apj...204..649g&link_type=abstract
Astrophysical Journal, vol. 204, Mar. 15, 1976, pt. 1, p. 649-667.
Other
162
Elliptical Galaxies, Galactic Evolution, Galactic Structure, Interstellar Gas, Mathematical Models, Spiral Galaxies, Angular Momentum, Astronomical Models, Density Distribution, Energy Dissipation, Spheroids, Stellar Models, Viscosity
Scientific paper
It is proposed that the central difference between an elliptical and a spiral galaxy is the amount of gas left over at the point of maximum collapse of the protogalaxy, with that amount depending on the ratio of the time scale for star formation to the collapse time of the protogalaxy. The energy dissipation and turbulent viscosity governing the behavior of the gaseous component in a collapsing protogalaxy are analyzed along with the development of cloud structure prior to collapse of the leftover gas to a disk, and a numerical model is given for the collapse of a system containing both stars and gas into a spiral galaxy. Maclaurin spheroids consisting of pure gas, pure stars, and mixtures of both are used as 'zeroth-order' models for equilibrium spirals and ellipticals in order to estimate the angular momentum of such galaxies from their present properties. The angular momentum of the galaxies is also discussed in the context of the tidal interaction theory. It is concluded that an elliptical galaxy originates as a large isothermal density fluctuation at recombination and that a spiral arises from a smaller fluctuation.
Gott Richard J. III
Thuan Trinh Xuan
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