N-Body Simulation of the Triangulum Galaxy
Two-dimensional gravitational simulation demonstrating the role of dark matter in spiral galaxy dynamics.
Project Snapshot
Built a 2D N-body simulation of the Triangulum Galaxy (M33) to compare rotation curves generated by visible matter alone versus those including a dark-matter halo. The simulation demonstrated that only the dark-matter model reproduces the observed flat outer rotation curve.
Problem
Observed rotation curves of spiral galaxies are flat at large radii, contradicting predictions from visible matter alone. This simulation explores whether incorporating a dark-matter halo can reproduce the observed behavior of the Triangulum Galaxy.
Approach
- Modeled gravitational N-body interactions in 2D using numerical integration
- Simulated visible-matter-only and dark-matter-inclusive scenarios
- Compared computed rotation curves against observational data
- Visualized galaxy dynamics and rotation curve evolution
Tech Stack
Python, NumPy, Matplotlib, LaTeX
Results
- Visible-matter-only model produced declining rotation curves inconsistent with observations
- Dark-matter halo model successfully reproduced the flat outer rotation curve
- Highlighted the necessity of unseen mass in spiral-galaxy dynamics