Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Bar-Spheroid Interaction In Galaxies, Lars Hernquist, Martin D. Weinberg

Astronomy Department Faculty Publication Series

The secular evolution of barred galaxies is explored using N-body simulation and linear analysis. In particular, we examine the interaction between bars and spheroidal components of galaxies. According to our calculations, this interaction drives secular transfer of angular momentum from bars to spheroids, primarily through resonant coupling. A moderately strong bar, having mass within corotation ~0.3 times the enclosed spheroid mass, is predicted to shed all its angular momentum typically in less than ~10^9^ yr, which is quite short compared to the ages of galactic disks. Even shorter depletion time scales are found for relatively more massive bars. Given that …