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Statistical-mechanical selection of the shapes of disk galaxiesA new method is proposed for selecting steady state shapes of disk galaxies as 'most probable states' of a large number of stars, given only the total energy and total angular momentum. A partial differential equation is derived for the mean gravitational potential; it is closely related to the 'sinh-Poisson' equation for the mean-field description of a line vortex system or electrostatic guiding-center plasma. A 'water bag' approximation to the distribution function for bound stars renders the equation analytically tractable, but accurate solution of it may require numerical integration, in view of its general nonlinearity.
Document ID
19910041734
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Montgomery, David
(Dartmouth College Hanover, NH, United States)
Lee, Y. C.
(Los Alamos National Laboratory NM, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
February 20, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal, Part 1
Volume: 368
ISSN: 0004-637X
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
91A26357
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-710
CONTRACT_GRANT: DE-FG02-85ER-51394
CONTRACT_GRANT: DE-FG02-85ER-53298
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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