Galactic Dynamics & Galactic Morphology
Galactic Dynamics is the tool to understand the observed Morphology of elliptical and disk galaxies. Our research combines Orbital Theory, N-body simulations and Hydrodynamics with Observations in large telescopes. The orbital analysis of bars and spirals in 2D and 3D models has revealed the dynamical phenomena that shape the forms of elliptical galactic systems, the spirals of normal and barred-spiral galaxies, as well as the edge-on profiles of galactic disks. In the last years research in this field in our institute has indicated the role of chaotic orbits in reinforcing the spiral structure in barred-spiral systems and in the dynamics of disk galaxies in general.