Gravitational Potentials in Galactic Dynamics

Models and Problems

Authors

Keywords:

galactic astronomy, gravitational potential, rotation curve

Abstract

This article presents an educational and methodological review of model gravitational potentials used to describe mass distributions in galaxies. Classical spherically symmetric models are considered, including the Plummer, isochrone, power-law, Jaffe, Hernquist, and Navarro–Frenk–White models, as well as the axisymmetric Miyamoto–Nagai model for disk components. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between the potential, the density distribution, and the circular velocity curve. The practical part discusses Olympiad-style problems on the motion of bodies in non-Keplerian potentials, making the material useful for teachers, senior secondary school students, and university students interested in astrophysics and celestial mechanics.

Author Biography

Angelina Veselova, Saint Petersburg State University

Assistant at the Department of Celestial Mechanics, Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics, St. Petersburg State University; National Coach in Astronomy and Astrophysics

References

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Published

2026-03-20

How to Cite

[1]
Veselova, A. 2026. Gravitational Potentials in Galactic Dynamics: Models and Problems. Astronomy Education. 1, 1 (Mar. 2026), 36–46.

Issue

No. 1 (2026)

Section

Astronomical Etudes

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Angelina Veselova

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