Actions for axisymmetric potentials
Abstract
We give an algorithm for the economical calculation of angles and actions for stars in axisymmetric potentials. We test the algorithm by integrating orbits in a realistic model of the Galactic potential, and find that, even for orbits characteristic of thick-disc stars, the errors in the actions are typically smaller than 2 per cent. We describe a scheme for obtaining actions by interpolation on tabulated values that significantly accelerates the process of calculating observables quantities, such as density and velocity moments, from a distribution function.
- Publication:
-
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Pub Date:
- October 2012
- DOI:
- 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21757.x
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1207.4910
- Bibcode:
- 2012MNRAS.426.1324B
- Keywords:
-
- Galaxy: kinematics and dynamics;
- galaxies: kinematics and dynamics;
- Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
- E-Print:
- 5 pages accepted for publication in MNRAS