The X-ray Evolution of Merging Galaxies
Abstract
From a Chandra survey of nine interacting galaxy systems the evolution of X-ray emission during the merger process has been investigated. From comparing LX/LK and LFIR/LB it is found that the X-ray luminosity peaks ∼300 Myr before nuclear coalescence, even though we know that rapid and increasing star formation is still taking place at this time. It is likely that this drop in X-ray luminosity is a consequence of outflows breaking out of the galactic discs of these systems. At a time ∼1 Gyr after coalescence, the merger-remnants in our sample are X-ray dim when compared to typical X-ray luminosities of mature elliptical galaxies. However, we do see evidence that these systems will start to resemble typical elliptical galaxies at a greater dynamical age, given the properties of the 3 Gyr system within our sample, indicating that halo regeneration will take place within low LX merger-remnants.
- Publication:
-
Populations of High Energy Sources in Galaxies
- Pub Date:
- 2006
- DOI:
- 10.1017/S1743921306008064
- arXiv:
- arXiv:astro-ph/0509604
- Bibcode:
- 2006IAUS..230..137B
- Keywords:
-
- Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 4 pages, 1 figure, to appear in the Proceedings of the IAU Symposium No. 230