The core of the problem: Physical limits of the core–Sérsic model
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The core–Sérsic model is the standard tool for describing partially depleted stellar cores in massive early-type galaxies, yet its physical admissibility has rarely been examined. Using numerical deprojections, we show that many formally allowed parameter combinations cannot represent realistic stellar systems: sharp transitions between the inner power-law core and the outer Sérsic profile (large α ) always generate non-monotonic intrinsic density profiles. We identify, for each set of structural parameters ( γ , m , R e / R b ), a critical transition parameter, α crit , above which monotonicity is violated. This threshold systematically depends on the core slope and Sérsic index, implying that a fraction of the commonly used parameter space, including the widely adopted sharp-transition limit α → ∞, is physically ruled out. These constraints have important consequences for measuring core sizes and mass deficits in massive ellipticals, for constructing dynamical models, and for comparing observations with simulations of supermassive black hole binary evolution.
Source: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Author: Maarten Baes
Institution: Ghent University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,865
OpenAlex ID: W7154077239
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