Related papers: Self-consistent modelling of our Galaxy with Gaia …
A new class of models of stellar discs is introduced and used to build a self-consistent model of our Galaxy. The model is defined by the parameters that specify the action-based distribution functions (DFs) f(J) of four stellar discs…
The only way to map the Galaxy's gravitational potential $\Phi({\bf x})$ and the distribution of matter that produces it is by modelling the dynamics of stars and gas. Observations of the kinematics of gas provide key information about…
The body of photometric and astrometric data on stars in the Galaxy has been growing very fast in recent years (Hipparcos/Tycho, OGLE-3, 2-Mass, DENIS, UCAC2, SDSS, RAVE, Pan Starrs, Hermes, ...) and in two years ESA will launch the Gaia…
Dynamical models will be key to exploitation of the incoming flood data for our Galaxy. Modelling techniques are reviewed with an emphasis on f(J) modelling.
The GAIA mission will produce an extraordinary database from which we should be able to deduce not only the Galaxy's current structure, but also much of its history, and thus cast a powerful light on the way in which galaxies in general are…
Techniques for the construction of dynamical Galaxy models should be considered essential infrastructure that should be put in place before GAIA flies. Three possible modelling techniques are discussed. Although one of these seems to have…
In this paper we outline equipotential and equidensity methods of constructing axisymmetric models for galaxies. The former method defines equipotentials, from which the corresponding densities of the galaxy models can be obtained using…
We simultaneously model the gravitational potential and phase space distribution function (DF) of giant stars near the Sun using the {\it Gaia} DR2 radial velocity catalog. We assume that the Galaxy is in equilibrium and is symmetric about…
Context. Dynamically self-consistent galactic models are necessary for analysing and interpreting star counts, stellar density distributions, and stellar kinematics in order to understand the formation and the evolution of our Galaxy. Aims.…
An analytical model for the Maxwell radiation field in an axisymmetric galaxy, proposed previously, is first checked for its predictions of the spatial variation of the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) in our Galaxy. First, the model is…
Over the past decade advancements in the understanding of several astrophysical phenomena have allowed us to infer a concordance cosmological model that successfully accounts for most of the observations of our universe. This has opened up…
Galaxy spectra are a rich source of kinematical information since the shapes of the absorption lines reflect the movement of stars along the line-of-sight. We present a technique to directly build a dynamical model for a galaxy by fitting…
Surveys of the local and distant Universe are the means to test and improve our models of galaxy formation. Substantial successes in the models are evident, while there is also considerable recent progress in identifying what remains to be…
The Gaia space astrometry mission is measuring accurate distances and space motions of more than two billion stars throughout our Galaxy and beyond. This is a first look at how Gaia is contributing to fundamental physics, and in particular…
Gaia is an ambitious ESA space mission which will provide photometric and astrometric measurements with the accuracies needed to produce a kinematic census of almost one billion stars in our Galaxy. These data will revolutionize our…
We describe an improved, practical method for constructing galaxy models that match an arbitrary set of observational constraints, without prior assumptions about the phase-space distribution function (DF). Our method is an extension of…
A dynamic model of the Galaxy is constructed based on kinematic data for masers with trigonometric parallaxes. Maser data is used to compute the model potential in the Galactic plane. The potential is then generalized to three dimensions…
We consider what is the best way to extract science from large surveys of the Milky Way galaxy. The diversity of data gathered in these surveys, together with our position within the Galaxy, imply that science must be extracted by fitting…
The Gaia mission is reviewed together with the expected contents of the final catalogue. It is then argued that the ultimate goal of Galactic structure studies with Gaia astrometry should be to build a dynamical model of our galaxy which is…
The parameters of an axisymmetric model for the gravitational potential of the Galaxy have been refined. The basic curve of the Galaxy's rotation in a distance interval of $R:0-190$ kpc was constructed using the velocities of masers,…