Galaxy Zoo: Mergers – Dynamical models of interacting galaxies
The dynamical history of most merging galaxies is not well understood. Correlations between galaxy interaction and star formation have been found in previous studies, but require the context of the physical history of merging systems for full insight into the processes that lead to enhanced star for...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
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Oxford University Press
2016
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39622/ |
| _version_ | 1848795877239422976 |
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| author | Holincheck, Anthony J. Wallin, John F. Borne, Kirk Fortson, Lucy Lintott, Chris Smith, Arfon M. Bamford, Steven Keel, William C. Parrish, Michael |
| author_facet | Holincheck, Anthony J. Wallin, John F. Borne, Kirk Fortson, Lucy Lintott, Chris Smith, Arfon M. Bamford, Steven Keel, William C. Parrish, Michael |
| author_sort | Holincheck, Anthony J. |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The dynamical history of most merging galaxies is not well understood. Correlations between galaxy interaction and star formation have been found in previous studies, but require the context of the physical history of merging systems for full insight into the processes that lead to enhanced star formation. We present the results of simulations that reconstruct the orbit trajectories and disturbed morphologies of pairs of interacting galaxies. With the use of a restricted three-body simulation code and the help of citizen scientists, we sample 105 points in parameter space for each system. We demonstrate a successful recreation of the morphologies of 62 pairs of interacting galaxies through the review of more than 3 million simulations. We examine the level of convergence and uniqueness of the dynamical properties of each system. These simulations represent the largest collection of models of interacting galaxies to date, providing a valuable resource for the investigation of mergers. This paper presents the simulation parameters generated by the project. They are now publicly available in electronic format at http://data.galaxyzoo.org/mergers.html. Though our best-fitting model parameters are not an exact match to previously published models, our method for determining uncertainty measurements will aid future comparisons between models. The dynamical clocks from our models agree with previous results of the time since the onset of star formation from starburst models in interacting systems and suggest that tidally induced star formation is triggered very soon after closest approach. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:39:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-39622 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:39:04Z |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publisher | Oxford University Press |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-396222020-05-04T17:56:57Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39622/ Galaxy Zoo: Mergers – Dynamical models of interacting galaxies Holincheck, Anthony J. Wallin, John F. Borne, Kirk Fortson, Lucy Lintott, Chris Smith, Arfon M. Bamford, Steven Keel, William C. Parrish, Michael The dynamical history of most merging galaxies is not well understood. Correlations between galaxy interaction and star formation have been found in previous studies, but require the context of the physical history of merging systems for full insight into the processes that lead to enhanced star formation. We present the results of simulations that reconstruct the orbit trajectories and disturbed morphologies of pairs of interacting galaxies. With the use of a restricted three-body simulation code and the help of citizen scientists, we sample 105 points in parameter space for each system. We demonstrate a successful recreation of the morphologies of 62 pairs of interacting galaxies through the review of more than 3 million simulations. We examine the level of convergence and uniqueness of the dynamical properties of each system. These simulations represent the largest collection of models of interacting galaxies to date, providing a valuable resource for the investigation of mergers. This paper presents the simulation parameters generated by the project. They are now publicly available in electronic format at http://data.galaxyzoo.org/mergers.html. Though our best-fitting model parameters are not an exact match to previously published models, our method for determining uncertainty measurements will aid future comparisons between models. The dynamical clocks from our models agree with previous results of the time since the onset of star formation from starburst models in interacting systems and suggest that tidally induced star formation is triggered very soon after closest approach. Oxford University Press 2016-06-11 Article PeerReviewed Holincheck, Anthony J., Wallin, John F., Borne, Kirk, Fortson, Lucy, Lintott, Chris, Smith, Arfon M., Bamford, Steven, Keel, William C. and Parrish, Michael (2016) Galaxy Zoo: Mergers – Dynamical models of interacting galaxies. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 459 (1). pp. 720-745. ISSN 0035-8711 methods: numerical ; galaxies: interactions ; galaxies: kinematics and dynamics ; galaxies: peculiar. http://mnras.oxfordjournals.org/content/459/1/720 doi:10.1093/mnras/stw649 doi:10.1093/mnras/stw649 |
| spellingShingle | methods: numerical ; galaxies: interactions ; galaxies: kinematics and dynamics ; galaxies: peculiar. Holincheck, Anthony J. Wallin, John F. Borne, Kirk Fortson, Lucy Lintott, Chris Smith, Arfon M. Bamford, Steven Keel, William C. Parrish, Michael Galaxy Zoo: Mergers – Dynamical models of interacting galaxies |
| title | Galaxy Zoo: Mergers – Dynamical models of interacting galaxies |
| title_full | Galaxy Zoo: Mergers – Dynamical models of interacting galaxies |
| title_fullStr | Galaxy Zoo: Mergers – Dynamical models of interacting galaxies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Galaxy Zoo: Mergers – Dynamical models of interacting galaxies |
| title_short | Galaxy Zoo: Mergers – Dynamical models of interacting galaxies |
| title_sort | galaxy zoo: mergers – dynamical models of interacting galaxies |
| topic | methods: numerical ; galaxies: interactions ; galaxies: kinematics and dynamics ; galaxies: peculiar. |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39622/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39622/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39622/ |