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

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.