Short-term dynamical evolution of grand-design spirals in barred galaxies

TL;DR

This study uses 3D simulations to show that grand-design spiral arms in barred galaxies are dynamic, non-stationary features influenced by the bar but primarily self-excited, challenging the stationary density wave model.

Contribution

It demonstrates through simulations that spiral arms in barred galaxies are dynamic, self-excited patterns rather than stationary density waves, especially considering the bar's influence.

Findings

Spiral arms are not stationary but change within a few hundred million years.

Grand-design spirals appear mainly where they connect with the bar ends.

Outer spiral behaviour aligns with swing amplification theory.

Abstract

We investigate the short-term dynamical evolution of stellar grand-design spiral arms in barred spiral galaxies using a three-dimensional (3D) $N$-body/hydrodynamic simulation. Similar to previous numerical simulations of unbarred, multiple-arm spirals, we find that grand-design spiral arms in barred galaxies are not stationary, but rather dynamic. This means that the amplitudes, pitch angles, and rotational frequencies of the spiral arms are not constant, but change within a few hundred million years (i.e. the typical rotational period of a galaxy). We also find that the clear grand-design spirals in barred galaxies appear it only when the spirals connect with the ends of the bar. Furthermore, we find that the short-term behaviour of spiral arms in the outer regions ($R>$ 1.5--2 bar radius) can be explained by the swing amplification theory and that the effects of the bar are not negligible in the inner regions ($R<$ 1.5--2 bar radius). These results suggest that, although grand-design spiral arms in barred galaxies are affected by the stellar bar, the grand-design spiral arms essentially originate not as bar-driven stationary density waves, but rather as self-excited dynamic patterns. We imply that a rigidly rotating grand-design spiral could not be a reasonable dynamical model for investigating gas flows and cloud formation even in barred spiral galaxies.