Schedule Feb 17, 2012
Schwarzschild Models of dSph Galaxies
Maarten Breddels (Kaptyen Astro. Inst.)

We developed a spherically symmetric dynamical model of a dwarf spherioidal galaxies using the Schwarzschild method. This type of modelling yields constraints both on the total mass distribution (e.g. enclosed mass and scale radius) as well as on the orbital structure of the system modelled (e.g. velocity anisotropy). Therefore not only can we derive the dark matter content of these systems, but also explore possible formation scenarios. Here we present tests on a mock dSph galaxy and our preliminary results for the Sculptor dSph.


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