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February 26, 2026Astrophysics and Space Science1 citationsOpen Access

Parametric resonance scenario for peanut bulge formation in rotating galactic stellar disks

EGEvgeny GrivBen-Gurion University of the NegevAYAsher YahalomBeijing University of Technology

Key Points

  • This research aims to understand how parametric resonance leads to peanut-shaped bulges in galactic stellar disks.
  • Used a linear perturbation framework to analyze stellar oscillations.
  • Investigated the effects of a density-wave bar on gravitational potential.
  • Considered resonant interactions causing vertical oscillation in stellar disks.
  • Demonstrated exponential growth in out-of-plane oscillation amplitudes over time.
  • Identified a time delay of approximately 1 Gyr between bar formation and bulge thickening.
  • Established a correlation between the bar-induced excitation force and formation of boxy/peanut shapes.

Abstract

Abstract The coupling is established analytically between the natural oscillations of stars normal to the mean horizontal plane and periodic changes in the excitation force in a rotationally flattened galactic disk using a linear perturbation framework. The nonaxisymmetric gravitational potential of a density-wave bar may cause these changes in this ‘pumping’ force. The excitation of out-of-plane oscillating motion with an amplitude exponentially increasing with time via parametric resonance interaction between stars and a bar is considered for the formation of the boxy/peanut-shaped bulges (an X-structure of stars crossing at the center of the system) often observed in disk galaxies, even in isolation, as well as in the Galaxy. A scenario involving this resonant interaction accounts for both the vertically short 1 ≲ 1 kpc boxy/peanut-shaped features and a 1 ∼ 1 Gyr time delay between when the bars form and vertically thicken.

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Cite This Study

Griv et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/699fe44895ddcd3a253e8791https://doi.org/10.1007/s10509-026-04552-w
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