Ebook: Observational Manifestation of Chaos in Astrophysical Objects: Invited talks for a workshop held in Moscow, Sternberg Astronomical Institute, 28–29 August 2000

On August 2000 in the Lomonosov Moscow State University the first scientific conference dedicated to chaos in the real astronomical systems was held. The most prominent astrophysisists - specialist in the field of stochastic dynamics - attended the conference. A broad scope of the problems related to the observed manifes­ tations of chaotic motions in galactic and stellar objects, with the involvement of basic theory and numerical modeling, were addressed. The idea (not so obvious, as we believe, to many astrophysicists) was to show that, while great progress in the field of stochastic mechanics was accomplished, the science of chaos in actually observed systems is only just being born. Basically, the situation described prompted the organizers to hold the meeting in order to discuss chaotic processes in real systems. It seemed worthwhile to begin these introductory remarks with a brief descrip­ tion of some events that preceeded the conference. Since actually existing systems are the subject of the natural sciences, and in the latter experiments play the key role, we shall begin our account with the experimental results.

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This book addresses a broad range of problems related to observed manifestations of chaotic motions in galactic and stellar objects, by invoking basic theory, numerical modeling, and observational evidence. For the first time, methods of stochastic dynamics are applied to actually observed astronomical objects, e.g. the gaseous disc of the spiral galaxy NGC 3631. In the latter case, the existence of chaotic trajectories in the boundary of giant vortices was recently found by the calculation of the Lyapunov characteristic number of these trajectories.

The reader will find research results on the peculiarities of chaotic system behaviour; a study of the integrals of motion in self-consistent systems; numerical modeling results of the evolution process of disk systems involving resonance excitation of the density waves in spiral galaxies; a review of specific formations in stars and high-energy sources demonstrating their stochastic nature; a discussion of the peculiarities of the precessional motion of the accretion disk and relativistic jets in the double system SS 433; etc.

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This book addresses a broad range of problems related to observed manifestations of chaotic motions in galactic and stellar objects, by invoking basic theory, numerical modeling, and observational evidence. For the first time, methods of stochastic dynamics are applied to actually observed astronomical objects, e.g. the gaseous disc of the spiral galaxy NGC 3631. In the latter case, the existence of chaotic trajectories in the boundary of giant vortices was recently found by the calculation of the Lyapunov characteristic number of these trajectories.

The reader will find research results on the peculiarities of chaotic system behaviour; a study of the integrals of motion in self-consistent systems; numerical modeling results of the evolution process of disk systems involving resonance excitation of the density waves in spiral galaxies; a review of specific formations in stars and high-energy sources demonstrating their stochastic nature; a discussion of the peculiarities of the precessional motion of the accretion disk and relativistic jets in the double system SS 433; etc.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-7
Stochastic Appearance in Stars and High Energy Sources....Pages 9-22
Observational Manifestations of Precession of Accretion Disk in the SS 433 Binary System....Pages 23-35
Orbits and Integrals in Self-Consistent Systems....Pages 37-50
Observational Manifestation of Chaos in the Gaseous Disk of the Grand Design Spiral Galaxy NGC 3631....Pages 51-72
Observing Chaos in External Spiral Galaxies....Pages 73-82
Spectral Analysis of Orbits Via Discrete Fourier Transforms....Pages 83-99
Should Elliptical Galaxies be Idealised as Collisionless Equilibria?....Pages 101-114
How Important are the Equations of Motion in a Chaotic System?....Pages 115-120
Resonantly Excited Non-Linear Density Waves in Disk Systems....Pages 121-138

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This book addresses a broad range of problems related to observed manifestations of chaotic motions in galactic and stellar objects, by invoking basic theory, numerical modeling, and observational evidence. For the first time, methods of stochastic dynamics are applied to actually observed astronomical objects, e.g. the gaseous disc of the spiral galaxy NGC 3631. In the latter case, the existence of chaotic trajectories in the boundary of giant vortices was recently found by the calculation of the Lyapunov characteristic number of these trajectories.

The reader will find research results on the peculiarities of chaotic system behaviour; a study of the integrals of motion in self-consistent systems; numerical modeling results of the evolution process of disk systems involving resonance excitation of the density waves in spiral galaxies; a review of specific formations in stars and high-energy sources demonstrating their stochastic nature; a discussion of the peculiarities of the precessional motion of the accretion disk and relativistic jets in the double system SS 433; etc.

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-7
Stochastic Appearance in Stars and High Energy Sources....Pages 9-22
Observational Manifestations of Precession of Accretion Disk in the SS 433 Binary System....Pages 23-35
Orbits and Integrals in Self-Consistent Systems....Pages 37-50
Observational Manifestation of Chaos in the Gaseous Disk of the Grand Design Spiral Galaxy NGC 3631....Pages 51-72
Observing Chaos in External Spiral Galaxies....Pages 73-82
Spectral Analysis of Orbits Via Discrete Fourier Transforms....Pages 83-99
Should Elliptical Galaxies be Idealised as Collisionless Equilibria?....Pages 101-114
How Important are the Equations of Motion in a Chaotic System?....Pages 115-120
Resonantly Excited Non-Linear Density Waves in Disk Systems....Pages 121-138
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