Mergers of galaxies in clusters: Monte Carlo simulation of mass and angular momentum distribution

Abstract

A Monte Carlo simulation of mergers in clusters of galaxies is carried out. An ``explosive'' character of the merging process (an analog of phase transition), suggested earlier by Cavaliere et al. (1991), Kontorovich et al. (1992), is confirmed. In particular, a giant object similar to cD-galaxy is formed in a comparatively short time as a result of mergers. Mass and angular momentum distribution function for galaxies is calculated. An intermediate asymptotics of the mass function is close to a power law with the exponent $α\approx2$. It may correspond to recent observational data for steep faint end of the luminosity function. The angular momentum distribution formed by mergers is close to Gaussian, the rms dimensionless angular momentum $S/(GM^3R)^{1/2}$ being approximately independent of mass, which is in accordance with observational data.