Specific angular momentum of disc merger remnants and the lambda(R)-parameter

We use two-dimensional kinematic maps of simulated binary disc mergers to investigate the λR-parameter, which is a luminosity-weighted measure of projected angular momentum per unit mass. This parameter was introduced to subdivide the SAURON sample of early-type galaxies in so-called fast λR &gt...

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Main Authors: Jesseit, R, Cappellari, M, Naab, T, Emsellem, E, Burkert, A
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2009
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author Jesseit, R
Cappellari, M
Naab, T
Emsellem, E
Burkert, A
author_facet Jesseit, R
Cappellari, M
Naab, T
Emsellem, E
Burkert, A
author_sort Jesseit, R
collection OXFORD
description We use two-dimensional kinematic maps of simulated binary disc mergers to investigate the λR-parameter, which is a luminosity-weighted measure of projected angular momentum per unit mass. This parameter was introduced to subdivide the SAURON sample of early-type galaxies in so-called fast λR > 0.1 and slow rotators λR < 0.1. Tests on merger remnants reveal that λR is a robust indicator of the true angular momentum content in elliptical galaxies. We find the same range of λR values in our merger remnants as in the SAURON galaxies. The merger mass ratio is decisive in transforming fast rotators into slow rotators in a single binary merger, the latter being created mostly in an equal-mass merger. Slow rotators have a λR which does not vary with projection. The confusion rate with face-on fast rotators is very small. Mergers with a gas component form slow rotators with smaller ellipticities than collisionless merger remnants have, and are in much better agreement with the SAURON slow rotators. Remergers of merger remnants are slow rotators, but tend to have too high ellipticities. Fast rotators maintain the angular momentum content from the progenitor disc galaxy if merger mass ratio is high. Some SAURON galaxies have values of λR as high as our progenitor disc galaxies. © 2009 RAS.
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spelling oxford-uuid:2df051d6-6ba9-4cee-b583-1c4850b920942022-03-26T12:46:05ZSpecific angular momentum of disc merger remnants and the lambda(R)-parameterJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:2df051d6-6ba9-4cee-b583-1c4850b92094EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2009Jesseit, RCappellari, MNaab, TEmsellem, EBurkert, AWe use two-dimensional kinematic maps of simulated binary disc mergers to investigate the λR-parameter, which is a luminosity-weighted measure of projected angular momentum per unit mass. This parameter was introduced to subdivide the SAURON sample of early-type galaxies in so-called fast λR > 0.1 and slow rotators λR < 0.1. Tests on merger remnants reveal that λR is a robust indicator of the true angular momentum content in elliptical galaxies. We find the same range of λR values in our merger remnants as in the SAURON galaxies. The merger mass ratio is decisive in transforming fast rotators into slow rotators in a single binary merger, the latter being created mostly in an equal-mass merger. Slow rotators have a λR which does not vary with projection. The confusion rate with face-on fast rotators is very small. Mergers with a gas component form slow rotators with smaller ellipticities than collisionless merger remnants have, and are in much better agreement with the SAURON slow rotators. Remergers of merger remnants are slow rotators, but tend to have too high ellipticities. Fast rotators maintain the angular momentum content from the progenitor disc galaxy if merger mass ratio is high. Some SAURON galaxies have values of λR as high as our progenitor disc galaxies. © 2009 RAS.
spellingShingle Jesseit, R
Cappellari, M
Naab, T
Emsellem, E
Burkert, A
Specific angular momentum of disc merger remnants and the lambda(R)-parameter
title Specific angular momentum of disc merger remnants and the lambda(R)-parameter
title_full Specific angular momentum of disc merger remnants and the lambda(R)-parameter
title_fullStr Specific angular momentum of disc merger remnants and the lambda(R)-parameter
title_full_unstemmed Specific angular momentum of disc merger remnants and the lambda(R)-parameter
title_short Specific angular momentum of disc merger remnants and the lambda(R)-parameter
title_sort specific angular momentum of disc merger remnants and the lambda r parameter
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AT cappellarim specificangularmomentumofdiscmergerremnantsandthelambdarparameter
AT naabt specificangularmomentumofdiscmergerremnantsandthelambdarparameter
AT emselleme specificangularmomentumofdiscmergerremnantsandthelambdarparameter
AT burkerta specificangularmomentumofdiscmergerremnantsandthelambdarparameter