Eliche-Moral, M. C.; González-García, A. C.; Balcells, M.; Aguerri, J. A. L.; Gallego, J.; Zamorano, J.
Bibliographical reference
HUNTING FOR THE DARK: THE HIDDEN SIDE OF GALAXY FORMATION. Edited by Victor P. Debattista and Cristina C. Popescu AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 1240, pp. 237-238 (2010).
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6
2010
Citations
6
Refereed citations
4
Description
Nuclear disks and rings are frequent galaxy substructures, for a wide
range of morphological types [from S0 to Sc, see e.g., 1, 2]. We have
investigated the possible minor-merger origin of inner disks and rings
in spiral galaxies through collisionless N-body simulations. The models
confirm that minor mergers can drive the formation of thin,
kinematically-cold structures in the center of galaxies out of satellite
material, without requiring the previous formation of a bar. Satellite
core particles tend to be deposited in circular orbits in the central
potential, due to the strong circularization experienced by the
satellite orbit through dynamical friction. The material of the
satellite core reaches the center if it is dense or massive, building a
thin inner disk. Instead it is fully disrupted before reaching the
center in the case of low-mass satellites, creating an inner ring.