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Title:
Constraints on the Stellar Mass Function from Stellar Dynamics at the Galactic Center
Authors:
Alexander, Richard D.; Begelman, Mitchell C.; Armitage, Philip J.
Affiliation:
AA(JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO; , , ), AB(JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO; , , ; Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.), AC(JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO; , , )
Publication:
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 654, Issue 2, pp. 907-914. (ApJ Homepage)
Publication Date:
01/2007
Origin:
UCP
ApJ Keywords:
Galaxy: Center, Methods: n-Body Simulations, Stars: Luminosity Function, Mass Function, Stellar Dynamics
DOI:
10.1086/509709
Bibliographic Code:
2007ApJ...654..907A

Abstract

We consider the dynamical evolution of a disk of stars orbiting a central black hole. In particular, we focus on the effect of the stellar mass function on the evolution of the disk, using both analytic arguments and numerical simulations. We apply our model to the ring of massive stars at ~=0.1 pc from the Galactic center, assuming that the stars formed in a cold, circular disk, and find that our model requires the presence of a significant population of massive (>100 Msolar) stars in order to explain the observed eccentricities of 0.2-0.3. Moreover, in order to limit the damping of the heavier stars' eccentricities, we also require fewer low-mass stars than expected from a Salpeter mass function, giving strong evidence for a significantly ``top-heavy'' mass function in the rings of stars seen near to the Galactic center. We also note that the maximum possible eccentricities attainable from circular initial conditions at ages of <10 Myr are around 0.4-0.5, and we suggest that any rings of stars found with higher eccentricities were probably not formed from circular disks.
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