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Cores of Early-Type Galaxies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 August 2017

John Kormendy
John Kormendy*
Affiliation:
Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics

Abstract

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Systematic study of galaxy cores has become possible through improved understanding of seeing and the reduction of photometric errors by the use of CCDs. Many cores are well resolved in a photometry program with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (median stellar FWHM = 0″.80). Core profile shape correlates with galaxy luminosity L: the brightest galaxies have isothermal profiles; fainter ellipticals and bulges have profiles that do not completely flatten inward into a core. This may be due to velocity anisotropies. Core parameters are correlated: more luminous galaxies have larger core radii and fainter central surface brightnesses. Large deviations suggest special events: Fornax A has too small and bright a core for its luminosity; it may be the remnant of a merger with a smaller galaxy. Core mass-to-light ratio M/L ∝ L0.2, as expected from the metallicity-luminosity relation. A kinematic search shows strong evidence for a central black hole in M31 and weaker evidence in M32 and NGC 3115. The nucleus of M31 rotates very rapidly but has an outer dispersion of only 107 km s−1. This implies that it is a disk; it may have formed from gas falling into the center. Rapid rotation and a central velocity dispersion > 241 ± 7 km s−1 imply a central M/Lv ≳ 20 − 35. Velocity anisotropies are not a major uncertainty because of the rapid rotation. Therefore there is strong evidence for a nuclear point mass of ~ 2 × 107M⊙.

Type
Invited Reviews
Information
Symposium - International Astronomical Union , Volume 127: Structure and Dynamics of Elliptical Galaxies , 1987 , pp. 17 - 36
Copyright
Copyright © Reidel 1987 

References

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