University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Stellar and gas dynamics of interacting ring galaxies

Gerber, Richard Alan

Content Files
1993_gerber.pdf

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/28680

Description

Title
Stellar and gas dynamics of interacting ring galaxies
Author(s)
Gerber, Richard Alan
Issue Date
1993
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Lamb, Susan A.
Department of Study
Physics
Discipline
Physics
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Date of Ingest
2012-01-23T17:42:00Z
Keyword(s)
  • ring galaxy
  • axisymmetric collisions
  • gas interactions
Language
en
Abstract
The development of ring and arc structure due to the collision of a spherical galaxy normal to the plane of a disk galaxy is studied with analytic and numerical models. In the numerical model, the disk contains one-tenth of its mass in gas and the hydrodynamics equations are solved using the method of Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics. It is found that axisymmetric collisions between equal mass galaxies produce a strong expanding ring with a complex three-dimensional structure. Density and velocity profiles for the disk are given. Off-center collisions produce greater gas density enhancements in the non-nuclear portion of the disk when compared to the axisymmetric case. Strong gas interactions in the off-center collisions cause the stellar and gaseous flows to follow separate trajectories. If star formation is associated with the strongest gas shocks and greatest gas densities, the morphology of ring galaxies is strongly dependent on a proper treatment of gas dynamical processes. A Rayleigh-Taylor instability is believed to be present in the strong shock regions, which could contribute to the knotty structure observed in ring galaxies.
Type of Resource
text
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/28680
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 1993 Richard Alan Gerber

Owning Collections

Dissertations and Theses - Physics
Dissertations in Physics
Graduate Dissertations and Theses at Illinois PRIMARY
Graduate Theses and Dissertations at Illinois