RELATIVISTIC GALACTIC MORPHOLOGY I: GENERAL THEORY,
Abstract
A class C of kinematical models of galactic structures is constructed under the assumption that a galaxy has a definite physical boundary that is geometrically stable with respect to the Einstein gravitational field. After a somewhat lengthy calculation involving intrinsic rest coordinates and conformally related intrinsic surface geometries, it is shown that the discretization equation can be written as if it applied to a two-surface immersed in a Euclidean three space, provided the eccentricity is assumed to be constant. If these results are combined with those obtained from considerations of general quadrics in a number of different spaces, it can be shown that the equilibrium contours of galaxies can be predicted. The predicted shapes obtained in this way provide a detailed morphological classification for the ellipticals and possibly for the SO's. In particular, the observed boundaries of NGC 3115, NGC 128, and IC 3973 may be derived. (Extracted)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1964
- Accession Number
- AD0608824
Entities
People
- Dominic G. B. Edelen
Organizations
- RAND Corporation