Bending instabilities in galaxy merger remnants

Lars Hernquist; Jeremy S. Heyl; David N. Spergel

doi:10.1086/187058

Bending instabilities in galaxy merger remnants

Lars Hernquist, Jeremy S. Heyl, David N. Spergel

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Sufficiently elongated remnants produced from mergers of spiral galaxies are subject to a violent "firehose" instability that rapidly drives the remnant toward a new, less elongated equilibrium, possessing a variety of morphological peculiarities. This mechanism can account for the apparent dearth of highly flattened ellipticals, may be responsible for some features observed in early-type galaxies, including boxy isophotes and X-structures, and removes a potential objection to the merger hypothesis for the origin of early-type galaxies.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L9-L12
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	416
Issue number	1 PART 2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/187058
State	Published - Oct 10 1993

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Keywords

Galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD
Galaxies: formation
Galaxies: interactions
Galaxies: kinematics and dynamics

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10.1086/187058

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title = "Bending instabilities in galaxy merger remnants",

abstract = "Sufficiently elongated remnants produced from mergers of spiral galaxies are subject to a violent {"}firehose{"} instability that rapidly drives the remnant toward a new, less elongated equilibrium, possessing a variety of morphological peculiarities. This mechanism can account for the apparent dearth of highly flattened ellipticals, may be responsible for some features observed in early-type galaxies, including boxy isophotes and X-structures, and removes a potential objection to the merger hypothesis for the origin of early-type galaxies.",

keywords = "Galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD, Galaxies: formation, Galaxies: interactions, Galaxies: kinematics and dynamics",

author = "Lars Hernquist and Heyl, {Jeremy S.} and Spergel, {David N.}",

year = "1993",

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doi = "10.1086/187058",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "416",

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T1 - Bending instabilities in galaxy merger remnants

AU - Hernquist, Lars

AU - Heyl, Jeremy S.

AU - Spergel, David N.

PY - 1993/10/10

Y1 - 1993/10/10

N2 - Sufficiently elongated remnants produced from mergers of spiral galaxies are subject to a violent "firehose" instability that rapidly drives the remnant toward a new, less elongated equilibrium, possessing a variety of morphological peculiarities. This mechanism can account for the apparent dearth of highly flattened ellipticals, may be responsible for some features observed in early-type galaxies, including boxy isophotes and X-structures, and removes a potential objection to the merger hypothesis for the origin of early-type galaxies.

AB - Sufficiently elongated remnants produced from mergers of spiral galaxies are subject to a violent "firehose" instability that rapidly drives the remnant toward a new, less elongated equilibrium, possessing a variety of morphological peculiarities. This mechanism can account for the apparent dearth of highly flattened ellipticals, may be responsible for some features observed in early-type galaxies, including boxy isophotes and X-structures, and removes a potential objection to the merger hypothesis for the origin of early-type galaxies.

KW - Galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD

KW - Galaxies: formation

KW - Galaxies: interactions

KW - Galaxies: kinematics and dynamics

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U2 - 10.1086/187058

DO - 10.1086/187058

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:12044250564

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 416

SP - L9-L12

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1 PART 2

ER -

Bending instabilities in galaxy merger remnants

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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