The Lynden-Bell bar formation mechanism in simple and realistic galactic models

TL;DR

This paper revisits the Lynden-Bell bar formation mechanism using Hamilton-Jacobi theory, linking orbital trapping with linear and nonlinear bar evolution in galactic models.

Contribution

It introduces a perturbation Hamiltonian with additional parameters, connecting Lynden-Bell's concept to linear perturbation theory and N-body simulation observations.

Findings

Derived a new perturbation Hamiltonian including background and perturbation parameters.

Linked Lynden-Bell's orbital trapping concept with matrix linear perturbation theory.

Explained features of nonlinear secular evolution observed in N-body simulations.

Abstract

Using the canonical Hamilton-Jacobi approach we study the Lynden-Bell concept of bar formation based on the idea of orbital trapping parallel to the long or short axes of the oval potential distortion. The concept considered a single parameter - a sign of the derivative of the precession rate over angular momentum, determining the orientation of the trapped orbits. We derived a perturbation Hamiltonian which includes two more parameters characterising the background disc and the perturbation, that are just as important as the earlier known one. This allows us to link the concept with the matrix approach in linear perturbation theory, the theory of weak bars, and explain some features of the nonlinear secular evolution observed in N-body simulations.