Past exam of the kinetic theory course of the University of Oxford / 2025 / 3 / f

For $k_R=0$, the detuning is ${\omega }_{m0}=m({\Omega }_{\phi }-{\Omega }_{\mathrm{p}})$. The Gaussian resonance broadening factor selects the corotation resonance, where the star's azimuthal frequency matches the pattern speed. The derivative driving the flux is just $m\partial f_0/\partial J_{\phi }$. In fact this contribution alone has the formA single Fourier series harmonic changes the action variables in the direction $(m,k_R)$, because $\dot{\mathbf{J}}=-i\mathbf{k}\delta {\varphi }_{\mathbf{k}}{e}^{i\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{\theta }}$ plus its conjugate. For this harmonic, $\Delta J_R=0$: stars change angular momentum and shift their epicyclic guiding center without a leading-order increase of random radial motion. This is stellar radial migration driven by the corotation resonance. The resonance condition explains the absence of leading heating: $\Delta E\simeq {\Omega }_{\phi }\Delta J_{\phi }={\Omega }_{\mathrm{p}}\Delta J_{\phi }$ at the corotation resonance.

For $k_R=\pm 1$, the selected orbital resonances satisfyFor near-circular stellar orbits, ${\Omega }_R$ is the radial epicyclic frequency. Thus $k_R=-1$ is the inner Lindblad resonance, $m({\Omega }_{\phi }-{\Omega }_{\mathrm{p}})={\Omega }_R$, and $k_R=+1$ is the outer Lindblad resonance, $m({\Omega }_{\phi }-{\Omega }_{\mathrm{p}})=-{\Omega }_R$.

The flux is driven by $m{\partial }_{J_{\phi }}{f}_0\pm {\partial }_{J_R}{f}_0$, and each resonant harmonic exchanges both angular momentum and radial action in the ratioThese terms can therefore produce galactic disk heating as well as angular momentum transport. In the usual absorbing response, stars losing angular momentum at the inner Lindblad resonance gain radial action, and stars gaining angular momentum at the outer Lindblad resonance also gain radial action. The actual direction of flux follows from the displayed derivatives of $f_0$; it is not fixed by the resonance condition alone. A finite pulse replaces exact Lindblad resonance selection by a band of detunings of width of order $1/\tau$.