Related papers: Modeling Merging Galaxies using MINGA - Improving …
These lectures are intended to provide an introduction to the rich interplay between N-body simulations and stellar-kinematic observations of galaxies. The first section describes the kinematic properties of galaxies that are accessible to…
In early Solar System numerical simulations, where chaos is a primary driver, it is difficult to explore parameter space in a systematic way. In such simulations, stable configurations are hard to come by, and often require special…
For problems in astrophysics, planetary science and beyond, numerical simulations are often limited to simulating fewer particles than in the real system. To model collisions, the simulated particles (aka superparticles) need to be inflated…
We study the dynamical response of extended systems, hosts, to smaller systems, satellites, orbiting around the hosts using extremely high-resolution N-body simulations with up to one billion particles. This situation corresponds to minor…
Accurate modeling of galaxy formation in a hierarchical, cold dark matter universe requires the use of sufficiently high-resolution merger trees to obtain convergence in the predicted properties of galaxies. When semi-analytic galaxy…
We model the two-point correlation function of galaxies in a cold dark matter Universe by combining two powerful theoretical tools - dissipationless N-body simulations of dark matter clustering (specifically the GIF simulations carried out…
Providing initial conditions is an essential procedure for numerical simulations of galaxies. The initial conditions for idealised individual galaxies in $N$-body simulations should resemble observed galaxies and be dynamically stable for…
Nuclear stellar discs (NSDs) can help to constrain the assembly history of their host galaxies, as long as we can assume them to be fragile structures that are disrupted during merger events. In this work we investigate the fragility of…
Made-to-measure methods such as the parallel code NMAGIC are powerful tools to build galaxy models reproducing observational data. They work by adapting the particle weights in an N-body system until the target observables are well matched.…
We present gravitational N-body simulations of the secular morphological evolution of disk galaxies induced by density wave modes. In particular, we address the demands collective effects place on the choice of simulation parameters, and…
We assemble and observe a sample of poor galaxy systems that is suitable for testing N-body simulations of hierarchical clustering (Navarro, Frenk, & White 1997; NFW) and other dynamical halo models (e.g., Hernquist 1990). We (1) determine…
Observers experience a series of limitations when measuring galaxy kinematics, such as variable seeing conditions and aperture size. These effects can be reduced using empirical corrections, but these equations are usually applicable within…
In this work we focus on the properties of accretion onto galaxies. Through numerical simulations we investigate the geometrical properties of accretion. To span the scale range required in these simulations we have developed a new…
The distribution of galaxy morphological types is a key test for models of galaxy formation and evolution, providing strong constraints on the relative contribution of different physical processes responsible for the growth of the…
We describe a major upgrade of a Monte Carlo code which has previously been used for many studies of dense star clusters. We outline the steps needed in order to calibrate the results of the new Monte Carlo code against $N$-body simulations…
Early-type galaxies exhibit a wealth of photometric and dynamical structures. These signatures are fossil records of their formation and evolution processes. In order to examine these structures in detail, we build models aimed at…
We used an N-body smoothed particle hydrodynamics algorithm, with a detailed treatment of star formation, supernovae feedback, and chemical enrichment, to perform eight simulations of mergers between gas-rich disc galaxies. We vary the mass…
We present a new particle-based (discrete element) numerical method for the simulation of granular dynamics, with application to motions of particles on small solar system body and planetary surfaces. The method employs the parallel N-body…
We describe an application of Berger and Colella's structured adaptive mesh refinement algorithm to the field of cosmological astrophysics. Simulations in this area must include not just a gaseous component which follows the hyperbolic…
We use direct N-body simulations to investigate the evolution of star clusters with large size-scales with the particular goal of understanding the so-called extended clusters observed in various Local Group galaxies, including M31 and…