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Dynamics of stars and globular clusters in M87
- Source :
- Astrophysical Journal. 553(2):722-732
- Publication Year :
- 2001
-
Abstract
- We examine the dynamics of the stars and globular clusters in the nearby giant elliptical galaxy M87 and constrain the mass distribution, using all the available data over a large range of radii, including higher order moments of the stellar line-of-sight velocity distributions and the discrete velocities of over 200 globular clusters. We introduce an extension of spherical orbit modeling methods that makes full use of all the information in the data and provides very robust constraints on the mass models. We conclusively rule out a constant mass-to-light ratio model and infer that the radial density profile of the galaxy's dark halo falls off more slowly than r(-2), suggesting that the potential of the Virgo Cluster is already dominant at r similar to 300" similar to 20 kpc.
- Subjects :
- VELOCITY DISPERSIONS
COLOR DISTRIBUTIONS
Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
galaxies : kinematics and dynamics
VIRGO CLUSTER
SURFACE PHOTOMETRY
cD
galaxies : halos
ELLIPTIC GALAXIES
SPHERICAL GALAXIES
galaxies : elliptical and lenticular
globular clusters : general
DARK-MATTER
galaxies : structure
MASSIVE BLACK-HOLE
EARLY-TYPE GALAXIES
Astrophysics::Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
galaxies : star clusters
galaxies : individual (M87)
PLANETARY-NEBULAE
Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0004637X
- Volume :
- 553
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Astrophysical Journal
- Accession number :
- edsair.dris...00893..61e677cb042ee91f639f52cea75353a5