paper

The Evolution of the Globular Cluster System in a Triaxial Galaxy: Can a Galactic Nucleus Form by Globular Cluster Capture?

arXiv:astro-ph/9301006 · doi:10.1086/173189

Abstract

Dynamical friction due to field stars and tidal disruption caused by a central nucleus are crucial in determining the evolution of the globular cluster system in an elliptical galaxy. In this paper I examine the possibility that some of galactic nuclei have been formed by frictionally decayied globular clusters moving in a triaxial potential. The initial rapid growth of the nucleus, due mainly to massive clusters on box orbits falling in a short time scale into the galactic centre, is found to be later slowed by tidal disruption induced by the nucleus itself on less massive clusters in the way described by Ostriker, Binney & Saha. The efficiency of dynamical friction is such to carry to the centre of the galaxy enough globular cluster mass available to form a compact nucleus, but the actual modes of its collisionless formation remains to be investigated. The mass of the resulting nucleus is determined by the mutual feedback of the two mentioned processes, together with the knowlegde of the initial spatial, velocity and mass distributions of the globular cluster family. Moreover, we discuss the possibility that the globular cluster fall to the galactic centre has been cause of primordial violent galactic activity. An application of the model to M31 is presented.

22 pages + 2 tables and 12 figures available upon requests, Tex, no preprint number

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