Models of Partially Relaxed Stellar Disks
Abstract
The proposal by Lynden~Be11 that violently changing gravitational fields serve as the primary mecha- nism of relaxation in a galaxy of stars is reexamined for disk galaxies. The point of view adopted is that the oniy relaxation mechanism operative for stars in the early life of such galaxies is an axisymmetric form of the Jeans instability discussed by Toomre. The most probable form of the distribution function which results for a disk of infinitesimal thickness is obtained from statistical considerations. An asymptot- ic method of solution based on this distribution is developed for the construction of galactic models from observed rotation curves. The distribution of stars with low peculiar velocities follows Schwarzschild's law whereas that of stars with high velocities shows the asymmetry in galactic longitude discussed by Oort
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- November 1969
- DOI:
- 10.1086/150214
- Bibcode:
- 1969ApJ...158..505S