School of Astronomy (SoA) - Weekly Seminar 

Constructing equilibrium distribution functions of galaxies
and dark halos using finite elements

Mir Abbas Jalali (Sharif Univ. of Tech. and IPM)

Abstract:
Using C0 finite elements and quadratic programming, We construct
continuous, and differentiable phase space distribution functions of
stellar systems and dark halos in dynamical equilibrium. The equilibrium
states are built using regular orbits whose phase space coordinates are
computed through spectral analysis or torus mapping methods. We prove that
Schwrazschild's orbit superposition technique is a sub-class of a more
general finite element method (FEM). Some examples are discussed.