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Astron. Astrophys. 347, 442-454 (1999)
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Global spiral modes in star-forming gravitating disks
Vladimir Korchagin 1 and
Christian Theis 2
1 Institute of Physics, Stachki 194, Rostov-on-Don, Russia (vik@rsuss1.rnd.runnet.ru)
2 Institut für Theoretische Physik und Astrophysik, D-24098 Kiel, Germany (theis@astrophysik.uni-kiel.de)
Received 18 March 1999 / Accepted 11 May 1999
Abstract
Using 2D nonlinear simulations, we study the generation and nonlinear evolution of spiral structure in a star-forming multi-component gravitating disk. We confirm in agreement with previous studies the destabilizing role of a cold gaseous component and extend this conclusion for multi-component star-forming disks exchanging mass and momentum between its components. We show that the spiral structure growing on a non-stationary multi-phase background reaches its saturation in a similar manner like the one-component disks. The spiral structure survives even if most of the gas is transformed into stellar remnants of larger velocity dispersion.
Key words: hydrodynamics 
instabilities
ISM: kinematics and
dynamics
galaxies:
evolution
galaxies: kinematics and
dynamics
galaxies: spiral
Present address: National Astronomical Observatory, Osawa 2-21-1, Mitaka, Tokyo 181, Japan
Send offprint requests to: Ch. Theis
© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 1999
Online publication: June 30, 1999
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