In a previous paper, we have constructed a family of self-consistent triaxial
models of quasi-relaxed stellar systems, shaped by the tidal field of the
hosting galaxy, as an extension of the well-known spherical King models. For a
given tidal field, the models are characterized by two physical scales (such as
total mass and central velocity dispersion) and two dimensionless parameters
(the concentration parameter and the tidal strength). The most significant
departure from spherical symmetry occurs when the truncation radius of the
corresponding spherical King model is of the order of the tidal radius, which,
for a given tidal strength, is set by the maximum concentration value admitted.
For such maximally extended (or "critical") models the outer boundary has a
generally triaxial shape, given by the zero-velocity surface of the relevant
Jacobi integral, which is basically independent of the concentration parameter.
In turn, the external tidal field can give rise to significant global
departures from spherical symmetry (as measured, for example, by the quadrupole
of the mass distribution of the stellar system) only for low-concentration
models, for which the allowed maximal value of the tidal strength can be
relatively high. In this paper we describe in detail the intrinsic and the
projected structure and kinematics of the models, covering the entire parameter
space, from the case of sub-critical (characterized by "underfilling" of the
relevant Roche volume) to that of critical models. The intrinsic properties can
be a useful starting point for numerical simulations and other investigations
that require initialization of a stellar system in dynamical equilibrium. The
projected properties are a key step in the direction of a comparison with
observed globular clusters and other candidate stellar systems.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, uses emulateapj.cls with apjfonts.sty. Accepted
for publication in The Astrophysical Journa
