Dynamics of astrophysical discs : the proceedings of a conference at the Department of Astronomy, University of Manchester, 13-16 December, 1988

Discs occur in a wide variety of astronomical contexts, ranging in size from planetary ring systems to galaxies. Because the dynamical problems posed by each type of disc are remarkably similar, the Astronomy Department of the University of Manchester decided to bring together experts in each area for a conference in December 1988. This book is a collection of the papers presented at the conference. It contains mainly review papers covering recent developments in both theory and observations of planetary ring systems, discs in star-forming regions, protoplanetary discs, accretion discs and galaxy discs presented by an expert in each field. The book also gives brief summaries of contributed papers outlining current research by many of the participants. Frontmatter......Page 1 Contents......Page 5 Preface......Page 9 Names and addresses of participants......Page 11 Conference photograph......Page 16 Spiral waves in Saturn's rings......Page 19 Structure of the Uranian rings......Page 35 Planetary rings: theory......Page 37 Simulations of light scattering in planetary rings......Page 43 Accretion discs around young stellar objects and the proto-Sun......Page 45 The [GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA] Pictoris disc: a planetary rather than a protoplanetary one......Page 61 Optical polarimetry and thermal imaging of the disc around [GREEK SMALL LETTER BETA] Pictoris......Page 63 Observations of discs around protostars and young stars......Page 67 VLA observations of ammonia toward molecular outflow sources......Page 79 Derivation of the physical properties of molecular discs by an MEM method......Page 83 Masers associated with discs around young stars......Page 85 The nature of polarisation discs around young stars......Page 87 The correlation between the main parameters of the interstellar gas (including Salpeter's spectrum of masses) as a result of the development of turbulent Rossby waves......Page 89 Discs in cataclysmic variables and X-ray binaries......Page 91 A disc instability model for soft X-ray transients containing black holes......Page 97 X-ray variability from the accretion disc of NGC 5548......Page 99 Viscously heated coronae and winds around accretion discs......Page 101 Optical emission line profiles of symbiotic stars......Page 103 The effect of formation of Fell in winds confined to discs for luminous stars......Page 105 Observational evidence for accretion discs in active galactic nuclei......Page 107 The fuelling of active galactic nuclei by non-axisymmetric instabilities......Page 117 The circum-nuclear disc in the Galactic centre......Page 119 Non-axisymmetric instabilities in thin self-gravitating differentially rotating gaseous discs......Page 121 Non-linear evolution of non-axisymmetric perturbations in thin self-gravitating gaseous discs......Page 133 Eccentric gravitational instabilities in nearly Keplerian discs......Page 137 Gravity mode instabilities in accretion tori......Page 139 The stability of viscous supersonic shear flows -- critical Reynolds numbers and their implications for accretion discs......Page 141 Asymptotic analysis of overstable convective modes of uniformly rotating stars......Page 143 Polytropic models in very rapid rotation......Page 145 Distribution and kinematics of gas in galaxy discs......Page 147 Are the smallest galaxies optically invisible?......Page 151 Can we understand the constancy of rotation curves?......Page 153 How well do we know the surface density of the Galactic disc?......Page 155 On the heating of the Galactic disc......Page 157 The bulge-disc interaction in galactic centres......Page 159 Dynamics of the large-scale disc in NGC 1068......Page 161 The flow of gas in barred galaxies......Page 163 The warped dust lane in A1029-459......Page 165 Structure and evolution of dissipative non-planar galactic discs......Page 167 Non-axisymmetric magnetic fields in turbulent gas discs......Page 169 Non-axisymmetric disturbances in galactic discs......Page 171 Spiral instabilities in N-body simulations......Page 173 Long-lived spiral waves in N-body simulations......Page 191 Overstable modes in stellar disc systems......Page 193 Galactic seismological approach to the spiral galaxy NGC 3198......Page 195 Characteristics of bars from 3-D simulations......Page 197 Spirals and bars in linear theory......Page 199 Stellar hydrodynamical solutions for Eddington discs......Page 201 Theory of gradient instabilities of the gaseous Galactic disc and rotating shallow water......Page 203 Stability criteria for gravitating discs......Page 217 Stability of two-component galactic discs......Page 227 The smoothed particle hydrodynamics of galactic discs......Page 229 Tidal triggering of active disc galaxies by rich clusters......Page 231 The formation of spiral arms in early stages of galaxy interaction......Page 233 Formation of leading spiral arms in retrograde galaxy encounters......Page 235 The influence of galaxy interactions on stellar bars......Page 237 Disc galaxies -- work in progress in Gothenburg......Page 239 Motion of a satellite in a disc potential......Page 241 Observer's summary......Page 243 Common processes and problems in disc dynamics......Page 249 Citation index......Page 257 Index of authors......Page 271 Subject index......Page 273 Abstract Spiral density waves and spiral bending waves have been observed at dozens of locations within Saturn's rings. Edited By J.a. Sellwood. Includes Bibliographical References.