Mergers between elliptical galaxies and the thickening of the Fundamental Plane

[EN]We have carried out computer simulations to study the effect of merging on the Fundamental Plane (FP) relation. Initially, systems are spherical Jaffe models following a simple scaling relation (M/R2e= constant). They have been put on the FP by imposing different M/L values. Various orbital char...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: González-García, A. César, van Albada, T. S.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2003
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/75013
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/75013
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Methods: N-body simulations
Galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD
Galaxies: fundamental parameters
Galaxies: interactions
Incipit
Institute of Heritage Sciences
Instituto de Ciencias del Patrimonio
Descripción
Sumario:[EN]We have carried out computer simulations to study the effect of merging on the Fundamental Plane (FP) relation. Initially, systems are spherical Jaffe models following a simple scaling relation (M/R2e= constant). They have been put on the FP by imposing different M/L values. Various orbital characteristics have been considered. Our results show that the merger remnants lie very close to the FP of the progenitors. Although non-homology is introduced by the merging process, mergers among homologous galaxies leave a pre-existing FP-relation intact. As a side result we find that variations in the point of view lead to non-negligible scatter about the FP.