Joint Astrophysics Colloquium

Dynamical Blueprints for Disk Galaxies

Larry Widrow

Queen's University

I will describe multi-purpose, semi-analytic models for late-type galaxies which comprise a disk, bulge, and dark halo. The models represent self-consistent, equilibrium systems and provide an excellent starting point for a wide range of numerical experiments. Bayesian statistics and Markov Chain Monte Carlo are used to tailor the models to fit observational data for individual galaxies. I will present detailed models of the Milky Way together with simulations which explore bar formation and the disk-dark halo connection.