Numerical self-consistent stellar models of thin disks

Free access article

Issue		A&A Volume 442, Number 3, November II 2005


Page(s)		785 - 793
Section		Astrophysical processes
DOI		http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20053176

A&A 442, 785-793 (2005)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20053176

Numerical self-consistent stellar models of thin disks

M. Ujevic and P. S. Letelier

Departamento de Matemática Aplicada, Instituto de Matemática, Estatística e Computação Científica, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13081-970 Campinas, SP, Brasil
e-mail: [mujevic;letelier]@ime.unicamp.br

(Received 1 April 2005 / Accepted 13 July 2005)

Abstract
We find a numerical self-consistent stellar model by finding the distribution function of a thin disk that satisfies simultaneously the Fokker-Planck and Poisson equations. The solution of the Fokker-Planck equation is found by a direct numerical solver using finite differences and a variation of Stone's method. The collision term in the Fokker-Planck equation is found using the local approximation and the Rosenbluth potentials. The resulting diffusion coefficients are explicitly evaluated using a Maxwellian distribution for the field stars. As a paradigmatic example, we apply the numerical formalism to find the distribution function of a Kuzmin-Toomre thin disk. This example is studied in some detail showing that the method applies to a large family of actual galaxies.

Key words: stellar dynamics -- methods: numerical -- galaxies: general

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