A simple formula for the third integral of motion of disk-crossing stars in the Galaxy

TL;DR

This paper introduces a simple analytical formula for an approximate third integral of motion for disk-crossing stars in the Galaxy, applicable across various galactic models, improving orbit shape predictions over traditional methods.

Contribution

The authors propose a universal formula for the third integral of motion in galactic dynamics, valid for a wide range of disk models and tested on Milky Way-like systems.

Findings

The formula accurately fits nearly equatorial orbits with vertical amplitudes up to the disk's scale height.

It outperforms the adiabatic approximation in modeling orbit shapes.

The relation remains valid in different galactic models, including those with bulges and halos.

Abstract

We present an analytical simple formula for an approximated third integral of motion associated with nearly equatorial orbits in the Galaxy: $I_{3}=Z\Sigma_{I}^{1/3}$, where $Z(R)$ is the vertical amplitude of the orbit at galactocentric distance $R$ and $\Sigma_{I}(R)$ is the integrated dynamical surface mass density of the disk, a quantity which has recently become measurable. We also suggest that this relation is valid for disk-crossing orbits in a wide variety of axially symmetric galactic models, which range from razor-thin disks to disks with non-negligible thickness, whether or not the system includes bulges and halos. We apply our formalism to a Miyamoto-Nagai model and to a realistic model for the Milky Way. In both cases, the results provide fits for the shape of nearly equatorial orbits which are better than the corresponding curves obtained by the usual adiabatic approximation when the orbits have vertical amplitudes comparable to the disk's scale height. We also discuss the role of this approximate third integral of motion in modified theories of gravity.