Related papers: Secular Evolution of the Galactic Disk
Spiral arm structures seen in scattered light observations of protoplanetary disks can potentially serve as signposts of planetary companions. They can also lend unique insights into disk masses, which are critical in setting the mass…
Spiral galaxies offer a unique opportunity to study the role of star formation in galaxy evolution and to test various theoretical star formation schemes. I review some recent relevant work on the evolution of spiral galaxies. Detailed…
Spiral density wave theory attempts to describe the spiral pattern in spiral galaxies in terms of a long-lived wave structure with a constant pattern speed in order to avoid the winding dilemma. The pattern is consequently a rigidly…
We present the results of our numerical experiments on stellar scattering in the galactic disc under the influence of the perturbed galactic gravitation field connected with the spiral density waves and show that the point of view according…
Recent observations of the Galactic center revealed a nuclear disk of young OB stars, in addition to many similar outlying stars with higher eccentricities and/or high inclinations relative to the disk (some of them possibly belonging to a…
(Abridged) The present-day spatial and kinematic distribution of stars in the Milky Way provides key constraints on its internal dynamics and evolutionary history. We select stars that are more metal-rich than the interstellar medium (ISM)…
Bars and spirals are among the main drivers of the secular evolution of galactic disks, and it is, thus, of prime importance to better understand their exact nature and dynamics. In this respect, the Milky Way provides a unique laboratory…
In the past two decades, secular evolution has emerged as an important new paradigm for the formation and evolution of the Hubble sequence of galaxies. A new dynamical mechanism was identified through which density waves in galaxies, in the…
We identify a new secular instability of eccentric stellar disks around supermassive black holes. We show that retrograde precession of the stellar orbits, due to the presence of a stellar cusp, induces coherent torques that amplify…
A dynamical characterization of dark matter dominated dwarf galaxies from their observed effects on galactic disks (i.e. Galactoseismology) has remained an elusive goal. Here, we present preliminary results from spectroscopic observations…
We discuss the age of the stellar disks in the solar neighbourhood. After reviewing the various methods for age dating we discuss current estimates of the age of both the thin and the thick disk. We present preliminary results for…
Studying the nature of spiral arms is essential for understanding the formation of the intricate disc structure of the Milky Way. The European Space Agency's Gaia mission has provided revolutionary observational data that have uncovered…
Observations of massive stars within the central parsec of the Galaxy show that, while most stars orbit within a well-defined disc, a significant fraction have large eccentricities and / or inclinations with respect to the disc plane. Here,…
Star clusters are subject to density irregularities in their host galaxy, such as giant molecular clouds (GMCs), the galactic disc and spiral arms, which are largely ignored in present day (N-body) simulations of cluster evolution. Time…
Secular evolution and fueling is driven by bars in spiral galaxies, and the related dynamical processes are reviewed. It is shown that gravity torques dominate over viscous torques, and produce gas infall to the center. In this infall, the…
In order to understand the physical mechanisms underlying non-steady stellar spiral arms in disk galaxies, we analyzed the growing and damping phases of their spiral arms using three-dimensional $N$-body simulations. We confirmed that the…
We have observationally quantified the effect of gravitational torques on stars in disk galaxies due to the stellar distribution itself and explored whether these torques are efficient at transporting angular momentum within a Hubble Time.…
We use a suite of idealised N-body simulations to study the impact of spurious heating of star particles by dark matter particles on the kinematics and morphology of simulated galactic discs. We find that spurious collisional heating leads…
I review the results of recent cosmological simulations of galaxy formation that highlight the importance of satellite accretion in the formation of galactic disks. Tidal debris of disrupted satellites may contribute to the disk component…
Spiral density wave theory attempts to describe the spiral pattern in spiral galaxies in terms of a long-lived wave structure with a constant pattern speed in order to avoid the winding dilemma. The pattern is consequently a rigidly…