Abstract
The formation of massive galaxies at the centre of a cluster is discussed here. The protogalaxies move with both rotation and random velocities through the gaseous medium pervading the cluster. Each galaxy is supposed to move through a resisting medium under the general gravitational field produced by the cluster as a whole. Also, the mass of the galaxy increases by accretion all the time as it moves through the medium. Using plausible laws for density of the medium and accretion of matter and solving equation of motion, we find that the galaxy loses angular momentum in the course of the time. The loss of angular momentum drives the galaxy towards the centre of the cluster. Thus over a sufficiently long time-scale several galaxies may merge in the central region of the cluster resulting in a single massive galaxy. The process can drive rise to several massive galaxies in the central region of the cluster.
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Bhattacharyya, T., Basu, B. Formation of massive galaxies at the centre of a cluster. Astrophys Space Sci 158, 197–204 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00639724
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00639724