Related papers: Non-equilibrium Kinematics in Merging Galaxies
Dynamical simulations are a fundamental tool for studying the secular evolution of disc galaxies. Even at their maximum resolution, they still follow a limited number of particles and typically resolve scales of the order of a few tens of…
This paper discusses three new issues that necessarily arise in realistic attempts to apply nonlinear dynamics to galaxy evolution, namely: (i) the meaning of chaos in many-body systems, (ii) the time-dependence of the bulk potential, which…
Interacting galaxies are a natural arena for studies of non-equilibrium stellar dynamics, gas dynamics, and thermodynamics. Only galaxy formation itself is as deeply concerned with as many different aspects of dynamics, and the connection…
Modern redshift surveys enable the identification of large samples of galaxies in pairs, taken from many different environments. Meanwhile, cosmological simulations allow a detailed understanding of the statistical properties of the…
Mergers and interactions can significantly affect the morphological and dynamical properties of galaxies, however the impact of mergers on turbulence at $z > 1$ has not been observationally constrained. In this work we use the interaction…
We present a study of the dynamics of triplets of galaxies. In particular we focus on properties that are directly comparable with observations: e.g., velocity dispersion, mean harmonic radius, and virial mass. We find, for example, that…
Masses of galaxies are beginning to be measured systematically at redshifts z > 0.3. Such data provide powerful and unique links and clues to theories, simulations, and our understanding of early galaxy formation and evolution.…
We present kinematic measurements of thin and thick disk components in a sample of nine edge-on galaxies. We extract stellar and ionized gas rotation curves at and above the galaxies' midplanes using the Ca II triplet absorption features…
Stellar kinematics provide insights into the masses and formation histories of galaxies. At high redshifts, spatially resolving the stellar kinematics of quiescent galaxies is challenging due to their compact sizes. Using deep near-infrared…
Clusters of galaxies generally form by the gravitational merger of smaller clusters and groups. Major cluster mergers are the most energetic events in the Universe since the Big Bang. Some of the basic physical properties of mergers will be…
We use numerical simulations to study the kinematic structure of remnants formed from mergers of equal-mass disk galaxies. In particular, we show that remnants of dissipational mergers, which include the radiative cooling of gas, star…
I present various projects to study the halo dynamics of elliptical galaxies. This allows one to study the outer mass and orbital distributions of ellipticals in different environments, and the inner distributions of groups and clusters…
Determining how galaxies accumulate stellar mass is paramount to understanding the Universe. Two primary mechanisms drive this process: star-formation (SF) & mergers. Our understanding of star formation, and to some degree the processes…
The traditional view of the morphology-spin connection is being challenged by recent integral-field-unit observations, as the majority of early-type galaxies are found to have a rotational component that is often as large as a dispersion…
Galaxy shapes are not randomly oriented, rather they are statistically aligned in a way that can depend on formation environment, history and galaxy type. Studying the alignment of galaxies can therefore deliver important information about…
We study galaxy mergers with various mass ratios using N-body simulations, with an emphasis on the unequal-mass mergers in the relatively unexplored range of mass-ratios 4:1-10:1. Our recent work (Bournaud et al. 2004) shows that the above…
Two mathematical models of three bodies of variable masses are used to obtain a qualitative description of two interacting galaxies with mass exchange and mass loss. The reference system is centred on the largest body (the most massive…
Examples are presented for appearance of geometric symmetry in the shape of various astronomical objects and phenomena. Usage of these symmetries in astrophysical and extragalactic research is also discussed.
The luminosity dependence of kinematical and isophotal properties of elliptical galaxies is investigated using numerical simulations of galaxy merging, combined with semi-analytical models of hierarchical structure formation. Mergers of…
We present a simple set of kinematic criteria that can distinguish between galaxies dominated by ordered rotational motion and those involved in major merger events. Our criteria are based on the dynamics of the warm ionized gas (as traced…