Finding the Ultra-Harmonic Resonance from Photometry Alone

Krishnarao, D.; Pace, Z.; D'Onghia, E.; Aguerri, J. A. L.; McClure, R.; Peterken, T.; Fernandez-Trincado, J. G.; Merrifield, M.; Masters, K.; Garma-Oehmichen, L.; Boardman, N.; Bershady, M.; Drory, N.; Lane, R.
Bibliographical reference

AAS/Division of Dynamical Astronomy Meeting

Advertised on:
6
2021
Number of authors
14
IAC number of authors
1
Citations
0
Refereed citations
0
Description
Resonances in barred galaxies may induce morphological features, such as rings. Previous work suggested that the location of 'dark-gaps', or regions of a galaxy where the difference between the surface brightness along the bar major axis and along the bar minor axis are maximal, can be attributed to the location of bar corotation. Here, using GALAKOS, a high-resolution N-body simulation of a barred galaxy, we test this photometric method's ability to identify the bar corotation resonance. Contrary to previous work, our results indicate that 'dark-gaps' are a clear sign of the location of the 4:1 ultra-harmonic resonance instead of bar corotation. Measurements of the bar corotation can indirectly be inferred using kinematic information, e.g., by measuring the shape of the rotation curve. We demonstrate our concept on a sample of 578 face-on barred galaxies with both imaging and integral field observations and find that the sample likely consists of primarily fast bars.