Most pseudo-bulges can be formed at later stages of major mergers

TL;DR

This study shows that most pseudo-bulges in spiral galaxies can form during the later stages of major mergers, challenging the idea that they only result from secular processes.

Contribution

The paper demonstrates through cosmological simulations that pseudo-bulges can naturally form from gas-rich major mergers, revising the understanding of galaxy bulge formation.

Findings

Most merger remnants exhibit pseudo-bulges or bars.

Gas accumulation after mergers leads to pseudo-bulge formation.

Simple SPH simulations suffice to produce realistic spiral galaxy remnants.

Abstract

Most giant spiral galaxies have pseudo or disk-like bulges that are considered to be the result of purely secular processes. This may challenge the hierarchical scenario predicting about one major merger per massive galaxy ($>$$3\times 10^{10} M_{\odot}$) since the last $\sim$ 9 billion years. Here we verify whether or not the association between pseudo-bulges and secular processes is irrevocable. Using GADGET2 N-body/SPH simulations, we have conducted a systematic study of remnants of major mergers which progenitors have been selected (1) to follow the gas richness-look back time relationship, and (2) with a representative distribution of orbits and spins in a cosmological frame. Analyzing the surface-mass density profile of both nearby galaxies and merger remnants with two components, we find that most of them show pseudo-bulges or bar dominated centers. Even if some orbits lead to classical bulges just after the fusion, the contamination by the additional gas that gradually accumulates to the center and forming stars later on, leads to remnants apparently dominated by pseudo-bulges. We also found that simple SPH simulations should be sufficient to form realistic spiral galaxies as remnants of ancient gas-rich mergers without need for specifically tuned feedback conditions. We then conclude that pseudo-bulges and bars in spiral galaxies are natural consequences of major mergers when they are realized in a cosmological context, i.e., with gas-rich progenitors as expected when selected in the distant Universe.