Understanding spiral structure

这个项目属于STFC路线图主题A5（恒星和星系如何演化？）。目的是通过研究轴对称盘模型如何响应内部和外部扰动，并将结果与观测数据（特别是盖亚DR2和随后发布的数据）进行比较，了解盘状星系中螺旋结构的本质。这是当前星系动力学界研究的一个活跃话题。通常使用n体模拟来解决这个问题，或者较少使用对系统模态的某种分析。而不是寻找特征模态，更简单的，尚未开发的替代方法是考虑描述圆盘演化的耦合Vlasov和Poisson方程的初值问题。在探索包括椎间盘垂直结构的途径之前，我们将首先关注理想二维椎间盘的演变。

This project falls within STFC roadmap topic A5 (How do stars and galaxies evolve?). The aim is to understand the nature of spiral structure in disc galaxies, by studying how models of axisymmetric discs response to internal and external perturbations and comparing the results against observational data, particularly from Gaia DR2 and subsequent releases.This is a lively current topic of research within the galaxy dynamics community. It is most commonly tackled using N-body simulations or, less frequently, by using some kind of analysis of the modes of the system. Instead of finding eigenmodes, simpler, underexplored alternative approach is to consider the initial value problem for the coupled Vlasov and Poisson equations that describe the evolution of the disc. We will first focus on the evolution of idealised 2d discs before exploring avenues for including the disc's vertical structure.