Galactic Mergers with Supermassive Black Holes

Abstract

We present the results of N-body simulations of the accretion of high-density dwarf galaxies by low-density giant galaxies. Both galaxies contain power-law central density cusps and point masses representing supermassive black holes; the ratio of galaxy masses is 3:1. The cusp of the dwarf galaxy is always disrupted during the merger, leading to a remnant with a weak power law in the intrinsic density and a ``core'' in the projected density. Removing both black holes from the giant and dwarf galaxies allows the dwarf galaxy to remain intact and leads to a remnant with a high central density, contrary to what is observed. Our results support the hypothesis than the persistence of low-density cores in giant galaxies following mergers is a consequence of the existence of supermassive central black holes.