Fluctuations in finite N equilibrium stellar systems

Abstract

Gravitational amplification of Poisson noise in stellar systems increases the dipole noise power by roughly a factor of six and the quadrupole noise by 50% for a King model profile. The dipole noise is amplified by a factor of fifteen for the core-free Hernquist model. The predictions are computed using the dressed-particle formalism of Rostoker & Rosenbluth (1960) and are demonstrated by n-body simulation. This result implies that a collisionless n-body simulation is impossible; the fluctuation noise which causes relaxation is an intrinic part of self gravity. Applied to dark matter halos of disk galaxies, particle numbers of at least 10^6 will be necessary to suppress this noise at a level that does not dominate or significantly affect the disk response. Conversely, halos are most likely far from phase-mixed equilibrium and the resulting noise spectrum may seed or excite observed structure such as warps, spiral arms and bars. Fluctuation noise, similar to that due to a population of 10^6 solar-mass black holes can produce observable warping and possibly excite or seed other disk structure.

7 pages, 5 postscript figures, uses mn.sty

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