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The stars of the Galactic center

Davies, Melvyn B LU and King, A (2005) In Astrophysical Journal 624(Part 2). p.25-27
Abstract
We consider the origin of the so-called S stars orbiting the supermassive black hole at the very center of the Galaxy. These are usually assumed to be massive main-sequence stars. We argue instead that they are the remnants of low-to-intermediate mass red giants that have been scattered into near-radial orbits and tidally stripped as they approach the central black hole. Such stars retain only low-mass envelopes and thus have high effective temperatures. Our picture simultaneously explains why S stars have tightly bound orbits and the observed depletion of red giants in the very center of the Galaxy.
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Galaxy : center, Galaxy : kinematics and dynamics, Galaxy : nucleus
in
Astrophysical Journal
volume
624
issue
Part 2
pages
25 - 27
publisher
American Astronomical Society
external identifiers
  • wos:000228554300007
  • scopus:20344362151
ISSN
0004-637X
DOI
10.1086/430308
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
94115cf0-4ff3-4901-95b1-1a6bf2d84fb5 (old id 245834)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:44:24
date last changed
2025-10-14 10:50:47
@article{94115cf0-4ff3-4901-95b1-1a6bf2d84fb5,
  abstract     = {{We consider the origin of the so-called S stars orbiting the supermassive black hole at the very center of the Galaxy. These are usually assumed to be massive main-sequence stars. We argue instead that they are the remnants of low-to-intermediate mass red giants that have been scattered into near-radial orbits and tidally stripped as they approach the central black hole. Such stars retain only low-mass envelopes and thus have high effective temperatures. Our picture simultaneously explains why S stars have tightly bound orbits and the observed depletion of red giants in the very center of the Galaxy.}},
  author       = {{Davies, Melvyn B and King, A}},
  issn         = {{0004-637X}},
  keywords     = {{Galaxy : center; Galaxy : kinematics and dynamics; Galaxy : nucleus}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{Part 2}},
  pages        = {{25--27}},
  publisher    = {{American Astronomical Society}},
  series       = {{Astrophysical Journal}},
  title        = {{The stars of the Galactic center}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/430308}},
  doi          = {{10.1086/430308}},
  volume       = {{624}},
  year         = {{2005}},
}