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arXiv 1011.3045astro-ph.COastro-ph.GAastro-ph.HE
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星系球状体中恒星尖点斜率的解释

An Explanation for the Slopes of Stellar Cusps in Galaxy Spheroids

Philip F. Hopkins, Eliot Quataert

摘要:

在典型的~L* 和低质量的球状体中心的恒星表面质量密度剖面显示出与$Σ\propto R^(-n)$的幂律“尖点”,其中对于半径~1-100 pc,0.5<n<1。观测和理论支持的模型中,这些尖点形成的耗散气体流入和丰富的气体合并的核星爆。在这些相对较大的半径,恒星弛豫是不太可能占或强烈修改的尖锐的恒星轮廓。我们认为,观察到的幂律表面密度分布是一个自然的后果,占主导地位的角动量输运的引力不稳定性,在一个中心的大质量黑洞的引力势。在这些半径的主导模式是m=1的不平衡/偏心盘不稳定性,其中恒星扭转气体可以驱动快速流入和吸积。这种模式首先一般出现在大半径处,并且通过在越来越小的半径处激发偏心率而向内传播,其中M*(<R)<<M_BH。当恒星表面密度分布相对较浅且n<1/2时,模式不能有效地传播到R=0,因此气体堆积,恒星形成使密度分布变陡。但是,如果剖面比n=1更陡,偏心率的向内传播受到强烈阻尼,从而抑制流入并再次降低n。这些结果加在一起,在中心黑洞的势中产生1/2 < n < 1的平衡斜率。这些物理参数支持的非线性数值模拟的气体流入星系核。总之,这些结果自然解释了观察到的恒星密度分布的“尖点”椭圆星系。

英文摘要:

The stellar surface mass density profiles at the centers of typical ~L* and lower-mass spheroids exhibit power law 'cusps' with $Σ\propto R^(-n)$, where 0.5<n<1 for radii ~1-100 pc. Observations and theory support models in which these cusps are formed by dissipative gas inflows and nuclear starbursts in gas-rich mergers. At these comparatively large radii, stellar relaxation is unlikely to account for or strongly modify the cuspy stellar profiles. We argue that the power-law surface density profiles observed are a natural consequence of the gravitational instabilities that dominate angular momentum transport in the gravitational potential of a central massive black hole. The dominant mode at these radii is an m=1 lopsided/eccentric disk instability, in which stars torquing the gas can drive rapid inflow and accretion. Such a mode first generically appears at large radii and propagates inwards by exciting eccentricities at smaller and smaller radii, where M*(<R)<<M_BH. When the stellar surface density profile is comparatively shallow with n<1/2, the modes cannot efficiently propagate to R=0 and so gas piles up and star formation steepens the profile. But if the profile is steeper than n=1, the inwards propagation of eccentricity is strongly damped, suppressing inflow and bringing n down again. Together these results produce an equilibrium slope of 1/2 < n < 1 in the potential of the central black hole. These physical arguments are supported by nonlinear numerical simulations of gas inflow in galactic nuclei. Together, these results naturally explain the observed stellar density profiles of 'cusp' elliptical galaxies.

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