1999/12/23 by A. Burkert, Andreas Burkert, Thorsten Naab +3
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomical Observations and Instrumentation #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/9912489
4 pages, 1 postscript figure, uses newpasp.sty, to appear in ASP Conf. Proc. "Galaxy Dynamics"
arxiv created 1999/12/23 · openalex publication_date 1999/12/23 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
N-body simulations of major spiral-spiral mergers with different mass ratios q <= 4:1 are presented. All mergers lead to spheroidal stellar systems with de Vaucouleurs-like surface density profiles, resembling elliptical galaxies. The internal dynamical structure of the remnants does however depend critically on the adopted mass ratio. Equal-mass mergers with q <= 2:1 form radially anisotropic, slowly rotating systems with preferentially boxy isophotes. Unequal-mass mergers with q > 2:1 result in the formation of rotationally supported ellipticals with disky isophotes and small minor axis rotation. Projection effects lead in general to a large scatter in the kinematical and isophotal properties. If the observed dichotomy between boxy and disky ellipticals is a result of different mass ratios of the merger components massive ellipticals must have formed preferentially from equal-mass mergers in contrast to low-mass ellipticals which had to form from unequal-mass mergers.