Dynamical Stability and Environmental Influences in Low Surface Brightness Disk Galaxies

Abstract

Using analytic stability criteria, we demonstrate that, due to their low surface mass density and large dark matter content, LSB disks are quite stable against the growth of global nonaxisymmetric modes such as bars. However, depending on their (poorly constrained) stellar velocity dispersions, they may be only marginally stable against local instabilities. We simulate a collision between an LSB and HSB galaxy and find that, while the HSB galaxy forms a strong bar, the response of the LSB disk is milder, manifesting weaker rings and spiral features. The lack of sufficient disk self-gravity to amplify dynamical instabilities naturally explains the rarity of bars in LSB disks. The stability of LSB disks may also inhibit interaction-driven gas inflow and starburst activity in these galaxies.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, LaTeX using AASTeX macros 4.0, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letter