Formation of massive counter-rotating disks: an alternative scenario

Abstract

In this contribution, we investigate the scenario of major mergers between galaxies of comparable mass to the formation of massive counter-rotating disks. Such a scenario can be ruled out in general because they produce rather ellipticals. Yet for a narrow range of initial conditions, major mergers can nevertheless produce anyway rare galaxies such as NGC 4550, and so they are viable alternatives for the formation of these counter-rotating systems. The scenario is successful in producing a remarkably axisymmetric disk possessing strongly counter-rotating populations.