An Improved Mass Determination for M31 from Its Satellite Galaxies

Details An Improved Mass Determination for M31 from Its Satellite Galaxies An Improved Mass Determination for M31 from Its Satellite Galaxies

Jul 2000

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2000apj...537l..91c&link_type=abstract

The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 537, Issue 2, pp. L91-L94.

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

21

Galaxies: Halos, Galaxies: Individual: Messier Number: M31, Galaxies: Kinematics And Dynamics, Galaxies: Spiral, Galaxies: Intergalactic Medium

Scientific paper

The High-Resolution Echelle Spectrometer on the Keck I telescope has been used to measure the first radial velocities for stars belonging to the Andromeda I and III dwarf spheroidal galaxies. Our radial velocity for And III matches that reported by Blitz & Robishaw for an adjacent H I gas complex, supporting the association of this galaxy with a high-velocity cloud. New and previously published radial velocities for a sample of confirmed or suspected M31 satellites are combined with a homogeneous set of distance estimates to calculate the total mass of M31. Assuming the satellite orbits are isotropic, we find a median mass of MA~=(7.9+/-0.5)×1011 Msolar from eight candidate satellites having deprojected distances from M31 in excess of RA~=100 kpc. If the orbits are radial, the inferred mass increases to MA~=(21.5+/-3.8)×1011 Msolar for circular orbits, the enclosed mass is MA~=(3.7+/-0.4)×1011 Msolar. These masses are somewhat lower than those found for luminous spiral galaxies based on the ensemble dynamics of the their satellites, although the estimates are nevertheless consistent given the large uncertainties.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

An Improved Mass Determination for M31 from Its 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 An Improved Mass Determination for M31 from Its Satellite Galaxies, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and An Improved Mass Determination for M31 from Its Satellite Galaxies will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1717767