Formation of massive counter-rotating disks: an alternative scenario
Astrophysics
2009-10-31 v1
Abstract
In this contribution, we investigate the scenario of major mergers between galaxies of comparable mass to the formation of massive counter-rotating disks. Such a scenario can be ruled out in general because they produce rather ellipticals. Yet for a narrow range of initial conditions, major mergers can nevertheless produce anyway rare galaxies such as NGC 4550, and so they are viable alternatives for the formation of these counter-rotating systems. The scenario is successful in producing a remarkably axisymmetric disk possessing strongly counter-rotating populations.
Cite
@article{arxiv.astro-ph/9903096,
title = {Formation of massive counter-rotating disks: an alternative scenario},
author = {I. Puerari and D. Pfenniger},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/9903096},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
7 pages, 3 figures, contribution to "The Evolution of Galaxies on Cosmological Timescales", Euroconference, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain, Nov 30 - Dec 5 1998