Formation of S0 galaxies through mergers: explaining angular momentum and concentration change from spirals to S0s

M. Querejeta; M.C. Eliche-Moral; T. Tapia; A. Borlaff; G. Van De Ven; M. Lyubenova; M. Martig; J. Falcón-Barroso; Jairo Mendez Abreu

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201526354

Formation of S0 galaxies through mergers: explaining angular momentum and concentration change from spirals to S0s

M. Querejeta, M.C. Eliche-Moral, T. Tapia, A. Borlaff, G. Van De Ven, M. Lyubenova, M. Martig, J. Falcón-Barroso, Jairo Mendez Abreu

School of Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The CALIFA team has recently found that the stellar angular momentum and concentration of late-type spiral galaxies are incompatible with those of lenticular galaxies (S0s), concluding that fading alone cannot satisfactorily explain the evolution from spirals into S0s. Here we explore whether major mergers can provide an alternative way to transform spirals into S0s by analysing the spiral-spiral major mergers from the GalMer database that lead to realistic, relaxed S0-like galaxies. We find that the change in stellar angular momentum and concentration can explain the differences in the λRe-R90/R50 plane found by the CALIFA team. Major mergers thus offer a feasible explanation for the transformation of spirals into S0s.

Original language	English
Article number	L2
Number of pages	6
Journal	Astronomy & Astrophysics
Volume	579
Early online date	19 Jun 2015
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201526354
Publication status	Published - Jul 2015

Keywords

Galaxies: interactions
Galaxies: evolution
Galaxies: kinematics and dynamics
Galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD

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title = "Formation of S0 galaxies through mergers: explaining angular momentum and concentration change from spirals to S0s",

abstract = "The CALIFA team has recently found that the stellar angular momentum and concentration of late-type spiral galaxies are incompatible with those of lenticular galaxies (S0s), concluding that fading alone cannot satisfactorily explain the evolution from spirals into S0s. Here we explore whether major mergers can provide an alternative way to transform spirals into S0s by analysing the spiral-spiral major mergers from the GalMer database that lead to realistic, relaxed S0-like galaxies. We find that the change in stellar angular momentum and concentration can explain the differences in the λRe-R90/R50 plane found by the CALIFA team. Major mergers thus offer a feasible explanation for the transformation of spirals into S0s.",

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T2 - explaining angular momentum and concentration change from spirals to S0s

AU - Querejeta, M.

AU - Eliche-Moral, M.C.

AU - Tapia, T.

AU - Borlaff, A.

AU - Van De Ven, G.

AU - Lyubenova, M.

AU - Martig, M.

AU - Falcón-Barroso, J.

AU - Mendez Abreu, Jairo

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N2 - The CALIFA team has recently found that the stellar angular momentum and concentration of late-type spiral galaxies are incompatible with those of lenticular galaxies (S0s), concluding that fading alone cannot satisfactorily explain the evolution from spirals into S0s. Here we explore whether major mergers can provide an alternative way to transform spirals into S0s by analysing the spiral-spiral major mergers from the GalMer database that lead to realistic, relaxed S0-like galaxies. We find that the change in stellar angular momentum and concentration can explain the differences in the λRe-R90/R50 plane found by the CALIFA team. Major mergers thus offer a feasible explanation for the transformation of spirals into S0s.

AB - The CALIFA team has recently found that the stellar angular momentum and concentration of late-type spiral galaxies are incompatible with those of lenticular galaxies (S0s), concluding that fading alone cannot satisfactorily explain the evolution from spirals into S0s. Here we explore whether major mergers can provide an alternative way to transform spirals into S0s by analysing the spiral-spiral major mergers from the GalMer database that lead to realistic, relaxed S0-like galaxies. We find that the change in stellar angular momentum and concentration can explain the differences in the λRe-R90/R50 plane found by the CALIFA team. Major mergers thus offer a feasible explanation for the transformation of spirals into S0s.

KW - Galaxies: interactions

KW - Galaxies: evolution

KW - Galaxies: kinematics and dynamics

KW - Galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD

U2 - 10.1051/0004-6361/201526354

DO - 10.1051/0004-6361/201526354

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JO - Astronomy & Astrophysics

JF - Astronomy & Astrophysics

M1 - L2

ER -

Formation of S0 galaxies through mergers: explaining angular momentum and concentration change from spirals to S0s

Abstract

Keywords

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