Dark halos acting as chaos controllers in asymmetric triaxial galaxy models

We study the regular or chaotic character of orbits in a 3D dynamical model,describing a triaxial galaxy surrounded by a spherical dark halo component.Our numerical experiments suggest that the percentage of chaotic orbits decreases exponentially as the mass of the dark halo increases.A linear increase of the percentage of the chaotic orbits was observed as the scale length of the halo component increases. In order to distinguish between regular and chaotic motion,we chose to use the total angular momentum ...     

The S(c) spectrum machine to visualize the motion in galaxies

The behavior of the orbits in a galaxy model composed of an harmonic core and a strong bar potential is studied. Numerical calculations show that a large number of orbits display chaotic motion. These orbits are low angular momentun orbits. The percentage of chaotic orbits increases as the angular velocity of the system increases or the strength of the harmonic term decreases. A new dynamical parameter, the S(c) spectrum, is introduced and used to detect the island motion and the evolution of the sticky regions. Comparison to previously obtained results reveals the leading role of the new spectrum. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The evolution of chaos in active galaxy models with an oblate or a prolate dark halo component

The evolution of chaotic motion in a galactic dynamical model with a disk, a dense nucleus and a flat biaxial dark halo component is investigated. Two cases are studied: (i) the case where the halo component is oblate and (ii) the case where a prolate halo is present. In both cases, numerical calculations show that the extent of the chaotic regions decreases exponentially as the scale‐length of the dark halo increases. On the other hand, a linear relationship exists between the extent of the chaotic regions and the flatness parameter of the halo component. A linear relationship between the critical value of the angular momentum and the flatness parameter is also found. Some theoretical arguments to support the numerical outcomes are presented. An estimation of the degree of chaos is made by computing the Lyapunov Characteristic Exponents. Comparison with earlier work is also made (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A mapping for the study of the 1/1 resonance in a galactic type Hamiltonian

We derive an algebraic mapping for an autonomous, two-dimensional galactic type Hamiltonian in the 1/1 resonance case. We use the mapping to study the stability of the periodic orbits. Using the x — p _x Poincaré surface section, we compare the results of the mapping with those found by the numerical integration of the full equations of motion. For small values of the perturbation the results of the two methods are in very good agreement while satisfactory agreement is obtained for larger perturbations.     

Characteristics of resonant periodic orbits

We study the families of periodic orbits in a time-independent two-dimensional potential field symmetric with respect to both axes. By numerical calculations we find characteristic curves of several families of periodic orbits when the ratio of the unperturbed frequencies isA ^1/2/B ^1/2=2/1. There are two groups of characteristic curves: (a) The basic characteristic and the characteristics which bifurcate from it. (b) The characteristics which start from the boundary line and the axisx=0.     

Connecting global to local parameters in barred galaxy models

We present connections between global and local parameters in a realistic dynamical model, describing motion in a barred galaxy. Expanding the global model in the vicinity of a stable Lagrange point, we find the potential of a two-dimensional perturbed harmonic oscillator, which describes local motion near the centre of the global model. The frequencies of oscillations and the coefficients of the perturbing terms are not arbitrary but are connected to the mass, the angular rotation velocity, the scale length and the strength of the galactic bar. The local energy is also connected to the global energy. A comparison of the properties of orbits in the global and local potential is also made.     

Report on the dynamical evolution of an axially symmetric quasar model

The role of the angular momentum in the regular or chaotic character of motion in an axially symmetric quasar model is examined. It is found that, for a given value of the critical angular momentumL _zc , there are two values of the mass of the nucleusM _n for which transition from regular to chaotic motion occurs. The [L _zc – M _n ] relationship shows a linear dependence for the time independent model and an exponential dependence for the evolving model. Both cases are explained using theoretical arguments together with some numerical evidence. The evolution of the orbits is studied, as mass is transported from the disk to the nucleus. The results are compared with the outcomes derived for galactic models with massive nuclei.     

On an unharmonic oscillator potential for elliptical galaxies

Using a direct numerical procedure we approximate a ’realistic’ potential for an elliptical galaxy by that of a perturbed harmonic oscillator. The quality of fitting is checked using two criteria. First by computing the value of the fitting parameterf, and second by comparing the behaviour of orbits for the two potentials. Both criteria suggest that the fitting is good when the total energyh is smaller than the energy of escape in the unharmonic potential.     

The nature of orbits in a prolate elliptical galaxy model with a bulge and a dense nucleus

We study the transition from regular to chaotic motion in a prolate elliptical galaxy dynamical model with a bulge and a dense nucleus.Our numerical investigation shows that stars with angular momentum Lz less than or equal to a critical value Lzc,moving near the galactic plane,are scattered to higher z,when reaching the central region of the galaxy,thus displaying chaotic motion.An inverse square law relationship was found to exist between the radius of the bulge and the critical value Lzc of the angular m...     

A Map for a Group of Resonant Cases in a quartic Galactic Hamiltonian

We present a map for the study of resonant motion in a potential made up of two harmonic oscillators with quartic perturbing terms. This potential can be considered to describe motion in the central parts of non-rotating elliptical galaxies. The map is based on the averaged Hamiltonian. Adding on a semi-empirical basis suitable terms in the unperturbed averaged Hamiltonian, corresponding to the 1:1 resonant case, we are able to construct a map describing motion in several resonant cases. The map is used in order to find thex − p _x Poincare phase plane for each resonance. Comparing the results of the map, with those obtained by numerical integration of the equation of motion, we observe, that the map describes satisfactorily the broad features of orbits in all studied cases for regular motion. There are cases where the map describes satisfactorily the properties of the chaotic orbits as well.