Interpreting debris from satellite disruption in external galaxies

We examine the detectability and interpretation of debris trails caused by satellite disruption in external galaxies using semianalytic approximations for the dependence of streamer length, width, and surface brightness on satellite and primary galaxy characteristics. The semianalytic method is tested successfully against N-body simulations and then applied to three representative astronomical applications. First, we show how streamer properties can be used to estimate mass-to-light ratios Υ and streamer ages of totally disrupted satellites, and we apply the method to the stellar arc in NGC 5907. Second, we discuss how the lack of observed tidal debris around a satellite can provide an upper limit on its mass-loss rate and, as an example, derive the implied limits on mass-loss rates for M32 and NGC 205 around Andromeda. Finally, we point out that a statistical analysis of streamer properties might be applied to test and refine cosmological models of hierarchical galaxy formation, and we use the predicted debris from a standard A cold dark matter realization to test the feasibility of such a study. Using the Local Group satellites and the few known examples of debris trails in the Galaxy and in external systems, we estimate that the best current techniques could characterize the brightest (R < 29 mag arcsec^-2) portions of the youngest (3 dynamical periods) debris streamers. If systematics can be controlled, planned large-aperture telescopes such as CELT and OWL may allow fainter trails to be detected routinely and thus may be used for statistical studies such as those required for tests of galaxy formation.