The bar pattern speed of NGC 1433 estimated via sticky-particle simulations

Abstract

We present detailed numerical simulations of NGC 1433, an intermediate-type barred spiral showing strong morphological features including a secondary bar, nuclear ring, inner ring, outer pseudoring, and two striking, detached spiral arcs known as "plumes." This galaxy is an ideal candidate for recreating the observed morphology through dynamical models and determining the pattern speed. We derived a gravitational potential from an H-band image of the galaxy and simulated the behavior of a two-dimensional disk of 100,000 inelastically colliding gas particles. We find that the closest matching morphology between a B-band image and a simulation occurs with a pattern speed of 0.89 km s(-1) arcsec(-1) +/- 5-10%. We also determine that the ratio of corotation radius to the average published bar radius is 1.7 +/- 0.3, with the ambiguity in the bar radius being the largest contributor to the error.

Description
Keywords
galaxies : individual (NGC 1433), galaxies : kinematics and dynamics, galaxies : spiral, galaxies : structure, RINGED DISK GALAXIES, SPIRAL GALAXIES, SURFACE PHOTOMETRY, BAND OBSERVATIONS, NEUTRAL HYDROGEN, KINEMATICS, RESONANCE, STRENGTHS, DYNAMICS, MORPHOLOGY, Astronomy & Astrophysics
Citation
Treuthardt, P., Salo, H., Rautiainen, P., Buta, R. (2008): The Bar Pattern Speed of NGC 1433 Estimated Via Sticky-Particle Simulations. The Astronomical Journal, 136(1). DOI: 10.1088/0004-6256/136/1/300