Photometry and Kinematics of Self-Gravitating Eccentric Nuclear Disks
  The Andromeda Galaxy hosts an elongated nucleus with (at least) two distinct
brightness peaks. The double nucleus can be explained by the projection of a
thick, apsidally-aligned eccentric nuclear disk of stars in orbit about the
central black hole. Several nearby early-type galaxies have similar asymmetric
nuclear features, indicating the possible presence of eccentric nuclear disks.
We create simulated photometric (surface density) and kinematic (line-of-sight
velocity) maps of eccentric nuclear disks using N-body simulations. We image
our simulations from various lines of sight in order to classify them as double
nuclei, offset nuclei, and centered nuclei. We explore the effects of mass
segregation on the photometric maps, finding that heavier stars are
concentrated in the brighter peak. The average line-of-sight velocity values
are lower in an eccentric nuclear disk than for a circular ring about the
supermassive black hole. The velocity dispersion values are higher and peak at
the position of the supermassive black hole, which does not typically match the
peak in photometry.
