Maximum-entropy models of galaxies

Details Maximum-entropy models of galaxies Maximum-entropy models of galaxies

Apr 1988

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1988apj...327...82r&link_type=abstract

Astrophysical Journal, Part 1 (ISSN 0004-637X), vol. 327, April 1, 1988, p. 82-88.

Physics

Condensed Matter

Statistical Mechanics

82

Distribution Functions, Elliptical Galaxies, Galactic Structure, Maximum Entropy Method, Statistical Mechanics, Stellar Luminosity, Astronomical Models, Computational Astrophysics, Galactic Evolution, Weighting Functions

Scientific paper

Photometric and kinematic observations of elliptical galaxies are not sufficient to determine the complete phase-space distribution function of the Galaxy. In general, many possible distribution functions are consistent with the available observations; statistical mechanics and information theory suggest that the most natural of these are the ones with the largest entropy. It is shown how to construct the maximum-entropy distribution function consistent with given emissivity and potential distributions and a given set of kinematic observations. As examples, the maximum-entropy models consistent with two common spherical luminosity distributions, the Plummer model and the de Vaucouleurs R exp 1/4 model, are constructed. Maximum-entropy models offer a flexible and straightforward approach to modeling galaxies from limited observational data.

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