Issue |
A&A
Volume 442, Number 3, November II 2005
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 785 - 793 | |
Section | Astrophysical processes | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20053176 | |
Published online | 14 October 2005 |
Numerical self-consistent stellar models of thin disks
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
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
© ESO, 2005
Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.
Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.
Initial download of the metrics may take a while.