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Preferred orbit planes in tumbling triaxial galaxies. III. Application to the Schwarzschild ellipsoid

Journal Article · · Astrophys. J.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/163349· OSTI ID:5307760
We use an analytic method to examine the behavior of preferred orbit planes interior to the mass distribution of a tumbling triaxial galaxy. These planes are directly related to the location of periodic orbits and define the possible orientations of steady state gas disks. We discuss how the properties of these orbits, including stability, vary with the axis ratios of a galaxy's mass distribution and with the tumble rate of its surface figure. In particular, for the triaxial galactic potential of Schwarzschild, we compare the analytic predictions of our preferred plane method with numerical determinations of periodic orbit orientations in galaxies tumbling about their short axis. Outside the harmonic core of the potential, we find agreement to within several percent for the inclinations of periodic orbits at a given orbit energy. Analytic expressions for the location and extent of the retrograde Binney instability strip also agree with numerical results to the same degree of accuracy.
Research Organization:
Department of Astronomy, Indiana University
OSTI ID:
5307760
Journal Information:
Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 295:1; ISSN ASJOA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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