Core Formation by Binary Scouring and Gravitational Wave Recoil in Massive Elliptical Galaxies

Abstract Scouring by supermassive black hole (SMBH) binaries is the most accepted mechanism for the formation of the cores seen in giant elliptical galaxies. However, an additional mechanism is required to explain the largest observed cores. Gravitational-wave (GW) recoil is expected to trigger further growth of the core, as subsequent heating from dynamical friction of the merged SMBH removes stars from the central regions. We model core formation in massive elliptical galaxies from both binary scouring and heating by GW recoil and examine their unique signatures. We aim to determine whether the nature of cores in 3D space density can be attributed uniquely to either process and whether the magnitude of the kick can be inferred. We perform N -body simulations of galactic mergers of multicomponent galaxies, based on the observed parameters of four massive elliptical galaxies with cores >0.5 kpc. After binary scouring and hardening, the merged SMBH remnant is given a range of GW recoil kicks with 0.5–0.9 of the escape speed of the galaxy. We find that binary scouring alone can form the cores of NGC 1600 and A2147-BCG, which are <1.3 kpc in size. However, the >2 kpc cores in NGC 6166 and A2261-BCG require heating from GW recoil kicks of <0.5 of the galaxy escape speed. A unique feature of GW recoil heating is flatter cores in surface brightness, corresponding to truly flat cores in 3D space density. It also preferentially removes stars on low angular momentum orbits from the galactic nucleus.