Chaos and the dynamical evolution of barred galaxies

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the chaotic orbits in barred galaxies influence their evolution, using the SALI method to analyze the distribution of chaos based on galaxy model parameters.

Contribution

It introduces the application of the SALI method to 3D galactic models to distinguish chaotic from regular orbits and examines how chaos distribution depends on galaxy parameters.

Findings

Chaotic orbit fraction varies with galaxy component masses.

Distribution of chaos depends on bar axial ratio.

SALI effectively identifies chaotic orbits in 3D models.

Abstract

The dynamical evolution of barred galaxies depends crucially on the fraction and their spacial distribution of chaotic orbits in them. In order to distinguish between the two kinds of orbits, we use the Smaller Alignment Index (SALI) method, a very powerful method which can be applied to problems of galactic dynamics. Using model potentials, and taking into account the full 3D distribution of matter, we discuss how the distribution of chaotic orbits depends on the main model parameters, like the mass of the various components and the bar axial ratio.