We study galactic dynamics using high-resolution simulations, analytic models, and high-precision astrometric data, with a particular focus on the dynamics of galaxies in our Local Group and low mass galaxies across cosmic time.

Group members:

Gurtina Besla (Faculty, AST)

Hayden Foote (Graduate Student, AST)

Himansh Rathore (Graduate Student, AST)

Our group studies the dynamics of galaxies, from orbits to the nature and evolution of major morphological structures, such as spiral arms and bars. Our research includes questions about the interplay between these components, how resonances evolve galaxy morphologies and population distributions, and chrono-chemo-dynamic signatures that can reveal the dynamical history of the Milky Way.

Group members:

Kate Daniel (Faculty, AST)

Nicolas Garavito-Camargo, (Postdoctoral Scholar, AST)

Amy Smock (Graduate Student, AST)

Sóley Hyman (Graduate Student, AST)

We study the dynamics of binary stars and their planets, using their orbital properties to constrain formation and evolution models. Our group also works on protostellar and protoplanetary disk dynamics, including interactions with companions across the mass spectrum.

Group members:

Kaitlin Kratter (Faculty, AST)

Avery Bailey, (Postdoctoral Research Associate I, AST)

Antranik Sefilian, (51 Pegasi b Postdoctoral Fellow in Planetary Astronomy)

Juan Garrido-Deutelmoser (Research Assistant, AST)

Jackson Zariski (Graduate Student, Applied Math)

 Daniel Tamayo will be available March 17-20, 2025, to participate in research group meetings, join talks, and to meet with students.

TAP Dynamics Initiative Computational Workshop, Orbital Dynamics in Python

Overview:  

This computational workshop will provide a hands-on introduction to the REBOUND N-body integration package. We will introduce some of the basics, discuss its new visualization tools, as well as go through how to customize the code for your own scientific goals. We will then show how various common astrophysical effects (tides, oblateness, radiation pressure etc.) can be easily incorporated using the REBOUNDx library, and how you can add your own custom effects. Finally, we will introduce celmech, a new Python package for facilitating theoretical orbital mechanics calculations, and isolating the effects of resonances, secular dynamics, and much more!

TAP Dynamics Lectureship Welcomes Dr. Daniel Tamayo, Harvey Mudd College

Title:

Toward a Theory of how Chaos Drives Dynamical Instabilities and Shapes Compact Exoplanet Systems

Abstract: 

While several processes are thought to be important in the early phase of planet formation, most theories converge on a final stage dominated by giant impacts that set the ultimate masses and orbital architectures that we observe today in exoplanet systems. Nevertheless, despite enormous theoretical effort, we do not yet fully understand the dynamical processes driving chaos in such systems, and we are unable to predict a priori which regions in the space of possible orbital configurations will be long-term stable, and which will lead to instability. As a motivation, I will first present our recent work suggesting that dynamical instabilities have indeed strongly shaped the observed distribution of exoplanetary systems. I will then survey our current understanding of chaos in planetary systems, discuss recent theoretical developments, and close with a roadmap of ongoing work and open questions.