Ram pressure stripping: An analytical approach

Abstract

We use an analytical approach to study ram pressure stripping with simple models for discs and halo gas distribution to study the phenomena in cluster, group and galaxy halos. We also study variations with galaxy properties and redshift. In each case we model the worst case scenario (i.e., maximum effect due to ram pressure). We show that there is little variation in the worst case scenario with redshift. We find that gas discs in galaxies with a higher spin parameter get stripped sooner than galaxies with a smaller spin parameter. Galaxies in cluster halos get stripped of gas more effciently as compared to group and galaxy halos: this is due to the higher infall speed and a higher density of gas in the ICM due to a greater retention of baryons. We comment on the limitations of our model and situations where a signiffcant amount of gas may be retained in galaxy disc and also give an illustration for the same. Lastly, we discuss implications for star formation in galaxies as these fall into halos.