1,386 research outputs found
The dynamical distance and intrinsic structure of the globular cluster omega Centauri
We determine the dynamical distance D, inclination i, mass-to-light ratio M/L
and the intrinsic orbital structure of the globular cluster omega Cen, by
fitting axisymmetric dynamical models to the ground-based proper motions of van
Leeuwen et al. and line-of-sight velocities from four independent data-sets. We
correct the observed velocities for perspective rotation caused by the space
motion of the cluster, and show that the residual solid-body rotation component
in the proper motions can be taken out without any modelling other than
assuming axisymmetry. This also provides a tight constraint on D tan i.
Application of our axisymmetric implementation of Schwarzschild's orbit
superposition method to omega Cen reveals no dynamical evidence for a
significant radial dependence of M/L. The best-fit dynamical model has a
stellar V-band mass-to-light ratio M/L_V = 2.5 +/- 0.1 M_sun/L_sun and an
inclination i = 50 +/- 4 degrees, which corresponds to an average intrinsic
axial ratio of 0.78 +/- 0.03. The best-fit dynamical distance D = 4.8 +/- 0.3
kpc (distance modulus 13.75 +/- 0.13 mag) is significantly larger than obtained
by means of simple spherical or constant-anisotropy axisymmetric dynamical
models, and is consistent with the canonical value 5.0 +/- 0.2 kpc obtained by
photometric methods. The total mass of the cluster is (2.5 +/- 0.3) x 10^6
M_sun. The best-fit model is close to isotropic inside a radius of about 10
arcmin and becomes increasingly tangentially anisotropic in the outer region,
which displays significant mean rotation. This phase-space structure may well
be caused by the effects of the tidal field of the Milky Way. The cluster
contains a separate disk-like component in the radial range between 1 and 3
arcmin, contributing about 4% to the total mass.Comment: 37 pages (23 figures), accepted for publication in A&A, abstract
abridged, for PS and PDF file with full resolution figures, see
http://www.strw.leidenuniv.nl/~vdven/oc
Schwarzschild models of the Sculptor dSph galaxy
We have developed a spherically symmetric dynamical model of a dwarf
spheroidal galaxy using the Schwarzschild method. This type of modelling yields
constraints both on the total mass distribution (e.g. enclosed mass and scale
radius) as well as on the orbital structure of the system modelled (e.g.
velocity anisotropy). Therefore not only can we derive the dark matter content
of these systems, but also explore possible formation scenarios. Here we
present preliminary results for the Sculptor dSph. We find that the mass of
Sculptor within 1kpc is 8.5\times10^(7\pm0.05) M\odot, its anisotropy profile
is tangentially biased and slightly more isotropic near the center. For an NFW
profile, the preferred concentration (~15) is compatible with cosmological
models. Very cuspy density profiles (steeper than NFW) are strongly disfavoured
for Sculptor.Comment: 2 pages, 4 figures, to appear in the proceedings of "Assembling the
Puzzle of the Milky Way", Le Grand Bornand (Apr. 17-22, 2011
The Population of Dark Matter Subhaloes: Mass Functions and Average Mass Loss Rates
Using a cosmological N-Body simulation and a sample of re-simulated
cluster-like haloes, we study the mass loss rates of dark matter subhaloes, and
interpret the mass function of subhaloes at redshift zero in terms of the
evolution of the mass function of systems accreted by the main halo progenitor.
When expressed in terms of the ratio between the mass of the subhalo at the
time of accretion and the present day host mass the unevolved subhalo mass
function is found to be universal. However, the subhalo mass function at
redshift zero clearly depends on , in that more massive host haloes host
more subhaloes. To relate the unevolved and evolved subhalo mass functions, we
measure the subhalo mass loss rate as a function of host mass and redshift. We
find that the average, specific mass loss rate of dark matter subhaloes depends
mainly on redshift. These results suggest a pleasingly simple picture for the
evolution and mass dependence of the evolved subhalo mass function. Less
massive host haloes accrete their subhaloes earlier, which are thus subjected
to mass loss for a longer time. In addition, their subhaloes are typically
accreted by denser hosts, which causes an additional boost of the mass loss
rate. To test the self-consistency of this picture, we use a merger trees
constructed using the extended Press-Schechter formalism, and evolve the
subhalo populations using the average mass loss rates obtained from our
simulations, finding the subhalo mass functions to be in good agreement with
the simulations. [abridged]Comment: 12 pages, 12 figures; submitted to MNRA
Evidence for a massive BH in the S0 galaxy NGC 4342
We present axisymmetric dynamical models of the edge-on S0 galaxy NGC 4342. A
combination of observations from the ground and with the Hubble Space Telescope
(HST) has shown that NGC 4342 rotates rapidly and has a strong central increase
in velocity dispersion. We construct simple two-integral Jeans models as well
as fully general, three-integral models. The latter are built using a modified
version of Schwarzschild's orbit-superposition technique. The two-integral
Jeans models suggest a black hole (BH) mass between 3 and 6x10^8 Msun,
depending on the data set used to constrain the model, but they fail to fit the
details of the observed kinematics. The three-integral models can fit all
ground-based and HST data simultaneously, but only when a central BH is
included. Models without BH are ruled out to a confidence level better than
99.73 per cent. We determine a BH mass of 3x10^8 Msun. This corresponds to 2.6
per cent of the total mass of the bulge, making NGC 4342 one of the galaxies
with the highest BH mass to bulge mass ratio currently known. The models that
best fit the data do not have a two-integral phase-space distribution function.
They have rather complex dynamical structures: the velocity anisotropies are
strong functions of radius reflecting the multi-component structure of this
galaxy. The best fit model without BH tries to fit the high central velocity
dispersion by placing stars on radial orbits. The measured rotation velocities,
however, restrict the amount of radial anisotropy such that the central
velocity dispersion measured with the HST can only be fit when a massive BH is
included in the models.Comment: 47 pages, 14 figures (postscript). Submitted to Ap
Dynamical Modeling of SAURON Galaxies
We describe our program for the dynamical modeling of early-type galaxies
observed with the panoramic integral-field spectrograph SAURON. We are using
Schwarzschild's numerical orbit superposition method to reproduce in detail all
kinematical and photometric observables, and recover the intrinsic orbital
structure of the galaxies. Since catastrophes are the most prominent features
in the orbital observables, two-dimensional kinematical coverage is essential
to constrain the dynamical models.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, LaTeX. Published in 2003, Carnegie Observatories
Astrophysics Series, Vol. 1: Coevolution of Black Holes and Galaxies, ed. L.
C. Ho (Pasadena: Carnegie Observatories,
http://www.ociw.edu/ociw/symposia/series/symposium1/proceedings.html
An Over-Massive Black Hole in the Compact Lenticular Galaxy NGC1277
All massive galaxies likely have supermassive black holes at their centers,
and the masses of the black holes are known to correlate with properties of the
host galaxy bulge component. Several explanations have been proposed for the
existence of these locally-established empirical relationships; they include
the non-causal, statistical process of galaxy-galaxy merging, direct feedback
between the black hole and its host galaxy, or galaxy-galaxy merging and the
subsequent violent relaxation and dissipation. The empirical scaling relations
are thus important for distinguishing between various theoretical models of
galaxy evolution, and they further form the basis for all black hole mass
measurements at large distances. In particular, observations have shown that
the mass of the black hole is typically 0.1% of the stellar bulge mass of the
galaxy. The small galaxy NGC4486B currently has the largest published fraction
of its mass in a black hole at 11%. Here we report observations of the stellar
kinematics of NGC 1277, which is a compact, disky galaxy with a mass of 1.2 x
10^11 Msun. From the data, we determine that the mass of the central black hole
is 1.7 x 10^10 Msun, or 59% its bulge mass. Five other compact galaxies have
properties similar to NGC 1277 and therefore may also contain over-sized black
holes. It is not yet known if these galaxies represent a tail of a
distribution, or if disk-dominated galaxies fail to follow the normal black
hole mass scaling relations.Comment: 7 pages. 6 figures. Nature. Animation at
http://www.mpia.de/~bosch/blackholes.htm
Nuclear stellar discs in low-luminosity elliptical galaxies: NGC 4458 and NGC 4478
We present the detection of nuclear stellar discs in the low-luminosity
elliptical galaxies NGC 4458 and NGC 4478, which are known to host a
kinematically-decoupled core. Using archival HST imaging, and available
absorption line-strength index data based on ground-based spectroscopy, we
investigate the photometric parameters and the properties of the stellar
populations of these central structures. Their scale length, h, and face-on
central surface brightness, mu_0^c, fit on mu_0^c-h relation for galaxy discs.
For NGC 4458 these parameters are typical for nuclear discs, while the same
quantities for NGC 4478 lie between those of nuclear discs and the discs of
discy ellipticals. We present Lick/IDS absorption line-strength measurements of
Hbeta, Mgb, along the major and minor axes of the galaxies. We model these
data with simple stellar populations that account for the alpha/Fe
overabundance. The counter-rotating central disc of NGC 4458 is found to have
similar properties to the decoupled cores of bright ellipticals. This galaxy
has been found to be uniformly old despite being counter-rotating. In contrast,
the cold central disc of NGC 4478 is younger, richer in metals and less
overabundant than the main body of the galaxy. This points to a prolonged star
formation history, typical of an undisturbed disc-like, gas-rich (possibly
pre-enriched) structure.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, accepted for pubblication on MNRA
Dwarf Galaxy Dark Matter Density Profiles Inferred from Stellar and Gas Kinematics
We present new constraints on the density profiles of dark matter (DM) halos
in seven nearby dwarf galaxies from measurements of their integrated stellar
light and gas kinematics. The gas kinematics of low mass galaxies frequently
suggest that they contain constant density DM cores, while N-body simulations
instead predict a cuspy profile. We present a data set of high resolution
integral field spectroscopy on seven galaxies and measure the stellar and gas
kinematics simultaneously. Using Jeans modeling on our full sample, we examine
whether gas kinematics in general produce shallower density profiles than are
derived from the stars. Although 2/7 galaxies show some localized differences
in their rotation curves between the two tracers, estimates of the central
logarithmic slope of the DM density profile, gamma, are generally robust. The
mean and standard deviation of the logarithmic slope for the population are
gamma=0.67+/-0.10 when measured in the stars and gamma=0.58+/-0.24 when
measured in the gas. We also find that the halos are not under concentrated at
the radii of half their maximum velocities. Finally, we search for correlations
of the DM density profile with stellar velocity anisotropy and other baryonic
properties. Two popular mechanisms to explain cored DM halos are an exotic DM
component or feedback models that strongly couple the energy of supernovae into
repeatedly driving out gas and dynamically heating the DM halos. We investigate
correlations that may eventually be used to test models. We do not find a
secondary parameter that strongly correlates with the central DM density slope,
but we do find some weak correlations. Determining the importance of these
correlations will require further model developments and larger observational
samples. (Abridged)Comment: 29 pages, 18 figures, 10 tables, accepted for publication in Ap
Supermassive black holes from OASIS and SAURON integral-field kinematics
Supermassive black holes are a key element in our understanding of how
galaxies form. Most of the progress in this very active field of research is
based on just ~30 determinations of black hole mass, accumulated over the past
decade. We illustrate how integral-field spectroscopy, and in particular our
OASIS modeling effort, can help improve the current situation.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, LaTeX. To appear in the proceedings of IAU
Symposium 245 "Formation and Evolution of Galaxy Bulges", M. Bureau, E.
Athanassoula, and B. Barbuy, ed
Fast and Slow Rotators: The build-up of the Red Sequence
Using the unique dataset obtained within the course of the SAURON project, a
radically new view of the structure, dynamics and stellar populations of
early-type galaxies has emerged. We show that galaxies come in two broad
flavours (slow and fast rotators), depending on whether or not they exhibit
clear large-scale rotation, as indicated via a robust measure of the specific
angular momentum of baryons. This property is also linked with other physical
characteristics of early-type galaxies, such as: the presence of dynamically
decoupled cores, orbital structure and anisotropy, stellar populations and dark
matter content. I here report on the observed link between this baryonic
angular momentum and a mass sequence, and how this uniquely relates to the
building of the red sequence via dissipative/dissipationless mergers and
secular evolution.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure. To appear in the Proceedings of IAU Symposium 245
"Formation and Evolution of Galaxy Bulges", Eds M. Bureau, E. Athanassoula,
and B. Barbu
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