A new formation scenario for compact ellipticals

Compact elliptical (cE) galaxies have high central surface brightnesses and exhibit a high compactness. The prototype of this class of galaxies is M32, a satellite of Andromeda. Using numerical simulations, we investigate the formation of a cE using the ``merging star cluster scenario'' (MSCS), i.e. the merging of dozens or hundreds of star clusters inside a cluster complex (CC). The MSCS has proven successful in reproducing less massive objects like extended star clusters and ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs). Our simulations show that we can obtain objects like cEs in this scenario as well, opening up a new formation channel for cEs.