VIRUS-W Observing trip: Uncovering the effect of spiral and bar resonances in disk galaxies

最近的理论工作表明，盘中的非轴对称结构与晕之间的相互作用通过诱导星星形成和盘混合来影响星系演化过程。我们已经开发了广泛的动力学模型，分离的两个主要的非轴对称结构（酒吧和螺旋）的影响，他们不同的共振签名在恒星运动学。我们的模型的定量预测与VIRUS-W IFU的属性兼容。为了测试这些预测，我们在2012年6月获得了使用VIRUS-W积分场光谱仪进行六个晚上的观察时间。在这项试点研究中，我们将观察两个螺旋和两个酒吧为主的盘星系，以验证我们的模型，并提高我们的理解，驱动星系演化的内部过程。

Recent theoretical work shows that interaction between non-axisymmetric structures in disks and the halo affects galaxy evolution processes by inducing star formation and disk mixing. We have developed extensive dynamical models that separate the effects of the two main non-axisymmetric structures (bars and spirals) by their different resonance signatures in the stellar kinematics. The quantitative predictions of our models are compatible with the properties of the VIRUS-W IFU.To test these predictions we have been awarded six nights of observing time in June 2012 with the VIRUS-W Integral Field Spectrograph. In this pilot study we will observe two spiral- and two bar-dominated disk galaxies to validate our models and to improve our understanding of the internal processes that drive galaxy evolution.