Details on the galaxy crash in our future

[marcus]

Abraham Loeb is one of the top people in his profession. Interesting that he should be using computer sims to study something very close to home like this.

http://arxiv.org/abs/0705.1170
The Collision Between The Milky Way And Andromeda
T.J. Cox, Abraham Loeb (Harvard/CfA)
submitted to MNRAS

"We use a N-body/hydrodynamic simulation to forecast the future encounter between the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxies, given current observational constraints on their relative distance, relative velocity, and masses. Allowing for a comparable amount of diffuse mass to fill the volume of the Local Group, we find that the two galaxies are likely to collide in a few billion years - within the Sun's lifetime. During the first close encounter of the two galaxies, there is a 12% chance that the Sun will be pulled from its present position and reside in the extended tidal material. After the second close encounter, there is a 30% chance that the Sun will reside in the extended tidal material, and a 2.7% chance that our Sun will be more tightly bound to Andromeda than to the Milky Way. Eventually, after the merger has completed, the Sun is likely to be scattered to the outer halo and reside at much larger radii (>30 kpc). The density profiles of the stars, gas and dark matter in the merger product resemble those of elliptical galaxies. Our Local Group model therefore provides a prototype progenitor of late--forming elliptical galaxies."

 

[Evan Fox]

This is an absolutely fascinating study! It's incredible that Abraham Loeb and his team are able to use computer simulations to study a phenomenon so close to home - the collision between the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies. The results of their study suggest that the Sun may even end up being pulled from its present position and reside in the extended tidal material! It'll be interesting to see how further research into this progresses.

 

[sir-pinski]

The prospect of a galaxy crash in our future is certainly intriguing, and it is even more fascinating that Abraham Loeb, a top expert in this field, is using computer simulations to study it. By utilizing advanced technology and techniques, Loeb and his team are able to predict the potential outcome of the collision between the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies. This study provides valuable insights into the future of our own solar system and the composition of the resulting merged galaxy.

It is also interesting to note that the collision is expected to occur within the Sun's lifetime, highlighting the significance of this event for our own planet. The simulation shows that there is a chance the Sun may be pulled from its current position and become part of the extended tidal material during the first close encounter of the two galaxies. This adds a sense of urgency to the study and emphasizes the importance of understanding the dynamics of this collision.

Furthermore, the results of the simulation suggest that the merged galaxy will have a density profile resembling that of elliptical galaxies. This serves as an example of the potential evolution of galaxies and provides a prototype for the formation of late-forming elliptical galaxies.

Overall, Loeb's use of computer simulations in this study is a testament to the advancements in technology and our ability to understand and predict complex astronomical events. This research not only sheds light on the future of our own galaxy, but also contributes to our understanding of the broader universe and its evolution.