paper

A Comprehensive Analysis on the Nature of the Spiral Arms in NGC 3686, NGC 4321, and NGC 2403

arXiv:2503.19587 · doi:10.3390/galaxies13020027

Abstract

In theoretical investigations, various mechanisms have been put forward to explain the emergence of spiral patterns in galaxies. One of the few ways to find out the nature of spirals in a particular galaxy is to consider the so-called corotation radius, or corotation resonance. A distinctly defined corotation resonance is likely to indicate the existence of a spiral density wave, while the chaotic distribution of their positions may suggest a dynamic nature to the spiral structure. In this study, we analyzed measurements of the corotation radius obtained using several methods for three galaxies (NGC 3686, NGC 4321, and NGC 2403) that exhibit different morphologies of spiral structures. We also performed independent measurements to estimate the location of the resonance, which allowed us to determine whether each galaxy has a clear corotation radius position. This examination, along with other tests such as stellar age gradient, interlocking resonances, and the radial distribution of metallicity, enables us to understand the mechanism that may be responsible for the formation of spiral arms in the studied galaxies.

arXiv comment30 pages, 7 figures, published in Galaxies, Special Issue "From Tides to Waves: Understanding the Formation Mechanisms of Galactic Spirals"

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