Milky Way Dynamics explores the forces shaping our galaxy, offering insights into its evolution and our broader understanding of the universe. It delves into the kinematics of stars and gas, alongside the distribution of visible and dark matter, revealing how analyzing stellar motions helps map the Milky Way's gravitational potential. Understanding our galaxy is crucial, as it serves as a template for other spiral galaxies and helps test fundamental physics, such as how galactic rotation curves imply the existence of dark matter. The book presents a cohesive picture, starting with observed motions and progressing to a comprehensive model of mass distribution and dynamical evolution.
Methods for measuring velocities, like spectroscopic techniques, are discussed, and the construction of mass models, using rotation curves and the Jeans equation, are explored. By synthesizing observational data from telescopes like Gaia and Hubble with theoretical models, the book offers a balanced perspective on the Milky Way's structure, dynamics, and ongoing debates, such as the shape of its dark matter halo. This approach makes complex topics accessible, providing valuable knowledge for those interested in astronomy, astrophysics, and physics.
The book's structure guides readers through observed components, kinematics, mass models, and finally, the implications for galaxy formation and cosmology.
