3-D Simulations of the Chemical and Dynamical Evolution of the Galactic Bulge

Abstract

A three-dimensional hydrodynamical N-body model for the formation of the Galaxy is presented with special attention to the formation of the bulge component. Starting with cosmologically motivated initial conditions, we obtain a qualitatively similar stellar system to the Galaxy. Then we analyze the chemical and kinematic properties of the bulge stars in our model and find qualitative agreement with observational data. The early evolution of our model has revealed that most bulge stars form during the sub-galactic merger (merger component of the bulge stars). Because of the strong star burst induced by the merger, the metallicity distribution function of such stars becomes as wide as observed. We find that another group of the bulge stars forms later in the inner region of the disk (non-merger component of the bulge stars). Because of the difference in the formation epoch, the main source of iron for this group of stars is different from the merger component. Iron in the merger and non-merger components comes mainly from Type II and Type Ia supernovae, respectively. Since a Type Ia supernova ejects $\sim$ 10 times more iron than a Type II supernova, [Fe/H] of the non-merger component tends to be higher than that of the merger component, which widens the metallicity distribution function. From these results, we suggest that the Galactic bulge consists of two chemically different components; one has formed quickly through the sub-galactic clump merger in the proto-galaxy and the other has formed gradually in the inner disk.