arXiv subjects

Anaelle Halle

Publications and source records attributed to Anaelle Halle.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

The origin of double-peak emission-line galaxies: rotating discs, bars or galaxy mergers?

Emission lines with a double-peak (DP) shape, detected in the centre of galaxies, have been extensively used in the past to identify peculiar kinematics such as dual active galactic nuclei, outflows or mergers. From a large DP galaxy sample, a connection to minor merger galaxies with ongoing star formation was suggested. To gain a better understanding of different mechanisms creating a DP signature, we here explore synthetic SDSS spectroscopic observations computed from disc models and simulations. We show how a DP signature is connected to the central part of the rotation curve of galaxies, which is mostly shaped by the stellar bulge. We, furthermore, find that bars can create strong DP emission-line signatures when viewed along their major axis. Major mergers can form a central rotating disc in late post-coalescence merger stages (1\,Gyr after the final coalescence), which creates a DP signature. Minor mergers tend to show a DP feature with no correlation to the galaxy inclination within 350\,Myr after the final coalescence. Comparisons of these scenarii with observations disfavour major mergers, since these show predominantly elliptical and only a few S0 morphologies. Furthermore, at such a late merger stage the enhanced star formation is most likely faded. Bars and minor mergers, on the other hand, can be compared quite well with the observations. Both observations coincide with increased star formation found in observations, and minor mergers in particular do not show any dependency with the observation direction. However, observations resolving the galaxy kinematics spatially are needed to distinguish between the discussed possibilities. More insight into the origin of DP will be gained by a broader comparison with cosmological simulations. The understanding of the DP origin can provide important tools to study the mass growth of galaxies in future high redshift surveys.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

Central star formation in double-peak gas rich radio galaxies

In a recent work, a large sample of double-peak (DP) emission line galaxies have been identified from the SDSS. While the two peaks could represent two kinematic components, they may be linked to the large bulges which their host galaxies tend to have. Star-forming DP galaxies display a central star formation enhancement and have been discussed to be compatible with a sequence of recent minor mergers. In order to probe merger induced star formation mechanisms, we conducted observations of the molecular gas content of 35 star-forming DP galaxies in the upper part of the main sequence (MS) of star formation with the IRAM 30m telescope. Including similar galaxies 0.3 dex above MS and with existing molecular gas observations from the literature, we finally obtain a sample of 52 such galaxies. We succeed in fitting the same kinematic parameters to the optical ionised and molecular gas emission lines for 10 (19%) galaxies. We find a central star formation enhancement resulting most likely from a galaxy merger or galaxy interaction, which is indicated by an excess of gas extinction found in the centre. This star formation is traced by radio continuum emissions at 150MHz, 1.4 and 3GHz, which are all three linearly correlated in log with the CO luminosity with the same slope. The 52 DP galaxies are found to have a significantly larger amount of molecular gas and larger depletion times, hence a lower star formation efficiency, than the expected values at their distance of the MS. This is consistent with a scenario of minor mergers increasing the mass of bulges and driving gas to the centre. We also exclude the inwards directed gas migration and central star formation enhancement to be the origin of a bar morphology. Hence, these 52 DP galaxies could be the results of recent minor mergers that funnelled molecular gas towards their centre, triggering star formation, but with a moderate efficiency.

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arXiv2019

The effect of fluctuating fuzzy axion haloes on stellar dynamics: a stochastic model

Fuzzy dark matter of ultra-light axions has gained attention, largely in light of the galactic scale problems associated with cold dark matter. But the large de Broglie wavelength, believed to possibly alleviate these problems, also leads to fluctuations that place constraints on ultra-light axions. We adapt and extend a method, previously devised to describe the effect of gaseous fluctuations on cold dark matter cusps, in order to determine the imprints of ultra-light axion haloes on the motion of classical test particles. We first evaluate the effect of fluctuations in a statistically homogeneous medium of classical particles, then in a similar system of ultra light axions. In the first case, one recovers the classical two body relaxation time (and diffusion coefficients) from white noise density fluctuations. In the second situation, the fluctuations are not born of discreteness noise but from the finite de Broglie wavelength; correlation therefore exists over this scale, while white noise is retained on larger scales, elucidating the correspondence with classical relaxation. The resulting density power spectra and correlation functions are compared with those inferred from numerical simulations, and the relaxation time arising from the associated potential fluctuations is evaluated. We then apply our results to estimate the heating of disks embedded in axion dark haloes. We find that this implies an axion mass $m \ga 2 \times 10^{-22} {\rm eV}$. We finally apply our model to the case of the central cluster of Eridanus II, confirming that far stronger constraints on $m$ may in principle be obtained, and discussing the limitations associated with the assumptions leading to these.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2018

Phase-space structure analysis of self-gravitating collisionless spherical systems

In the mean field limit, isolated gravitational systems often evolve towards a steady state through a violent relaxation phase. One question is to understand the nature of this relaxation phase, in particular the role of radial instabilities in the establishment/destruction of the steady profile. Here, through a detailed phase-space analysis based both on a spherical Vlasov solver, a shell code and a $N$-body code, we revisit the evolution of collisionless self-gravitating spherical systems with initial power-law density profiles $ρ(r) \propto r^n$, $0 \leq n \leq -1.5$, and Gaussian velocity dispersion. Two sub-classes of models are considered, with initial virial ratios $η=0.5$ ("warm") and $η=0.1$ ("cool"). Thanks to the numerical techniques used and the high resolution of the simulations, our numerical analyses are able, for the first time, to show the clear separation between two or three well known dynamical phases: (i) the establishment of a spherical quasi-steady state through a violent relaxation phase during which the phase-space density displays a smooth spiral structure presenting a morphology consistent with predictions from self-similar dynamics, (ii) a quasi-steady state phase during which radial instabilities can take place at small scales and destroy the spiral structure but do not change quantitatively the properties of the phase-space distribution at the coarse grained level and (iii) relaxation to non spherical state due to radial orbit instabilities for $n \leq -1$ in the cool case.

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arXiv2018

Radial migration in a stellar galactic disc with thick components

We study how migration affects stars of a galaxy with a thin stellar disc and thicker stellar components. The simulated galaxy has a strong bar and lasting spiral arms. We find that the amplitude of the churning (change in angular momentum) is similar for thin and thick components, and of limited amplitude, and that stars of all components can be trapped at the corotation of the bar. At the exception of those stars trapped at the corotation, we find that stars that are far from their initial guiding radius are more likely so due to blurring rather than churning effects. We compare the simulation to orbits integration with a fixed gravitational potential rotating at a constant speed. In the latter case, stars trapped at corotation are churned periodically outside and inside the corotation radius, with a zero net average. However, as the bar speed of the simulated galaxy decreases and its corotation radius increases, stars trapped at corotation for several Gyrs can be churned outwards on average. We study the location of extreme migrators (stars experimenting the largest churning) and find that extreme migrators come from regions on the leading side of the effective potential local maxima.

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arXiv2008

Perturbations In A Non-Uniform Dark Energy Fluid: Equations Reveal Effects of Modified Gravity and Dark Matter

We propose a unified single-field description of the galactic Dark Matter and various uniform scalar fields for the inflation and cosmological constant. The two types of effects could originate from a fluid of both spatially and temporally varying Vacuum Energy if the vacuum has an uneven pressure caused by a photon-like vector field (of perhaps an unstable massive boson). We propose a most general Lagrangian with a {\bf N}on-{\bf u}niform Cosmological Constant for this vacuum fluid (dubbed as a Nu-Lambda fluid), working within the framework of Einsteinian gravity. This theory includes a continuous spectrum of plausible dark energy theories and gravity theories, e.g., inflation, quintessence, k-essence, f(R), Generalized Einstein-Aether f(K), MOND, TeVeS, BSTV etc. theories. It also suggests new models such as a certain f(K+R) model, which suggests intriguing corrections to MOND depending of redshift and density. Some specific constructions of the Nu-Lambda fluid (e.g., Zhao's V-$Λ$ model) closely resemble the $Λ$CDM cosmology on large scale, but fit galaxy rotation curves as good as MOND. Perturbed Einstein Equations in a simple $f(K_4)$ model are solvable and show effects of a DM coupled to DE. Incorporating the perturbation equations here into standard simulations for cosmological structure growth offers a chance to falsify examples of the Nu-Lambda theories.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Around MOND: Lagrangians, Hubble Equations, Perturbations and External Field Effect

The MOdified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) is presented here, as well as a theory that can be linked to it: the theory of the Aether, a four-vector field breaking Lorentz invariance. The form of its Lagrangian is studied, then basic equations of the theory are rederived in a detailed way, and calculated for different metrics, exploring the impact of non-zero spatial terms of the Aether. A brief attempt of making the Aether Lagrangian depend on a scalar field is presented. An analytic solving of a galaxy model with an external field is described, which highlights the MONDian external field effect that breaks the strong equivalence principle.

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