High resolution in z-direction: The simulation of disc-bulge-halo galaxies using the particle-mesh code SUPERBOX

SUPERBOX is known as a very efficient particle-mesh code with highly-resolving sub-grids. Nevertheless, the height of a typical galactic disc is small compared to the size of the whole system. Consequently, the numerical resolution in z-direction, i.e. vertically with respect to the plane of the disc, remains poor. Here, we present a new version of SUPERBOX that allows for a considerably higher resolution along z. The improved code is applied to investigate disc heating by the in-fall of a galaxy satellite. We describe the improvement and communicate our results. As an important application we discuss the disruption of a dwarf galaxy within a disc-bulge-halo galaxy that consists of some 106 particles. 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & CO. KGaA, Weinheim