Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• KROEKER, T. L
• CARLBERG, R. G

Titel

The accuracy of galaxy masses from the timing argument

Ist Teil von

• The Astrophysical journal, 1991-07, Vol.376 (1), p.1-7

Ort / Verlag

Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press

Erscheinungsjahr

1991

Quelle

EZB Electronic Journals Library

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• The present examination of the accuracy of the 'timing argument' mass estimate calculates the masses of binary galaxies found in an N-body simulation of an Omega = 1 cold dark matter cosmology on the assumption that the binaries are bound, for both purely radial objects and orbits with angular momentum. The lack of binaries in advanced stages of orbital history may imply that isolated binary galaxies merge rapidly; if the timing argument is indiscriminately applied to all of the binaries (bound and unbound), the timing masses correlate poorly with the measured masses. In light of this analysis, the radial orbit timing mass of the M31 galaxy system is of the order of 50 percent of the two-sphere mass, if the system is bound. 23 refs.