Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Resonance excitation: A possible interpretation of the 3-KPC arm

  • III. Spiral Structure
  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
The Outer Galaxy

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Physics ((LNP,volume 306))

  • 160 Accesses

Abstract

A minor oval distortion or an uneven distribution of mass in the central region of the Galaxy may excite an outgoing spiral wave that closely resembles the observed 3-kpc arm. The wave is generated by a resonance excitation mechanism at the outer Lindblad resonance corresponding to the pattern frequency of the oval distortion or of the uneven distribution of the mass. An expansion velocity of 53 km/sec associated with the wave crest requires a perturbational field of 5% of the local mean gravitational field. The calculations are based on a non-linear analysis of gas motions in a disk system with the inclusion of self-gravitation and viscosity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Bania, T. M. 1980, Ap. J., 242, 95.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Kerr, F. J. 1968. In radio Astronomy and the Galactic System, IAU Symp. No.31, p. 239, ed. H. van Woerden

    Google Scholar 

  3. Goldreich, P., and Tremaine, S. 1978a, Icarus, 34, 227.

    Google Scholar 

  4. — 1978b, Icarus, 34, 240.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Rougoor, G. W., and Oort, J. H. 1960, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 46, 1.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Sanders, R. H., and Prendergast, K. H. 1974, Ap. J., 188, 489.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Shu, F. H., Dones, L., Lissauer, J. J., Yuan, C., and Cuzzi, J. N. 1985, Ap. J., 299, 542.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Shu, F. H., Yuan, C., and Lissauer, J. J. 1985, Ap. J., 291, 356.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Toomre, A. 1963, Ap. J., 138, 385.

    Google Scholar 

  10. van der Kruit, P. C. 1971, Astr. Ap., 13, 405.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Yuan, C., 1984, Ap. J., 281, 600.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Yuan, C., and Cheng, Y. 1987, in preparation.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, The City College of New York, 10031, New York, NY

    Chi Yuan & Ye Cheng

Authors
  1. Chi Yuan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ye Cheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Leo Blitz Felix J. Lockman

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1988 Springer-Verlag

About this paper

Cite this paper

Yuan, C., Cheng, Y. (1988). Resonance excitation: A possible interpretation of the 3-KPC arm. In: Blitz, L., Lockman, F.J. (eds) The Outer Galaxy. Lecture Notes in Physics, vol 306. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-19484-3_20

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-19484-3_20

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-19484-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-39285-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation