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Reflection symmetries of isolated self-consistent stellar systems

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

An, J 
Evans, NW 
Sanders, JL 

Abstract

© 2017 The Authors. Isolated, steady-state galaxies correspond to equilibrium solutions of the Poisson-Vlasov system. We show that (i) all galaxies with a distribution function (DF) depending on energy alone f(E) must be spherically symmetric, and (ii) all axisymmetric galaxies with a DF depending on energy and the angular momentum component parallel to the symmetry axis f(E, Lz) must also be reflection-symmetric about the plane z = 0. The former result is known, whilst the latter result is new. These results are subsumed into the Symmetry Theorem, which specifies how the symmetries of the DF in configuration or velocity space can control the planes of reflection symmetries of the ensuing stellar system.

Description

Keywords

galaxies, kinematics and dynamics-galaxies, structure

Journal Title

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0035-8711
1365-2966

Volume Title

467

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Rights

All rights reserved
Sponsorship
Science and Technology Facilities Council (ST/N000927/1)