Evidence for Stellar Streaming in the Cores of Elliptical Galaxies: A Kinematic Signature of Mergers?

Abstract

We present evidence for non-Gaussian velocity fields within the cores of luminous elliptical galaxies. This evidence is based upon high signal-to-noise, medium-resolution spectroscopy of the cores of early-type members of the Virgo and Coma clusters obtained with the WIYN 3.5-m telescope. The Virgo data were acquired using an integral-field unit (DensePak) allowing the velocity field to be sampled over a variety of spatial scales. The Coma data were obtained through single, 2-arcsec diameter fibers. The cross-correlation profiles of luminous ellipticals show considerable structure, often having several features with amplitudes as high as 10% that of the cross-correlation peak itself. This structure is most obvious within a radius of 1.5 arcsec (at Virgo), or < 100 pc, and is nearly undetectable when the data are binned over R < 15 arcsec, or < 1 kpc. Similar features are found in the single-fiber spectra of the luminous ellipticals in the Coma Cluster suggesting they are ubiquitous to giant ellipticals. Interesting, only the most luminous elliptical galaxies show this phenomena; the central regions of lower luminosity ellipticals have regular, Gaussian-like profiles. We interpret this kinematic structure as ``stellar streaming'' and suggest that this phenomena could be a relic signature of the merger history of luminous elliptical galaxies.