Conditions for Bar Formation in Bulgeless Disk Galaxies

Abstract

While bars are commonly observed in disk galaxies, the precise conditions governing their formation remain incompletely understood. To investigate these conditions, we perform a suite of N -body simulations of bulgeless disk galaxies with stellar masses in the range 10 9 ≤ M d ≤ 10 11 M ⊙ . Our galaxy models are constructed based on the observed properties of nearby barred galaxies from the S 4 G survey, and we systematically vary the halo scale radius to isolate its dynamical influence. Bars in our simulations form via repeated swing amplifications of disk perturbations, sustained by feedback loops. The amplification factor Γ depends on both the Toomre stability parameter Q T and the dimensionless wavelength X . Based on our simulation results, we propose a two-parameter bar formation criterion, Q T  + 0.4( X  − 1.4) 2 ≤ 1.8, corresponding to Γ = 10, which better captures the onset of bar formation than traditional one-parameter conditions. Bars in low-mass galaxies tend to be shorter and weaker, and are more susceptible to disruption by outer spiral arms. In contrast, bars in high-mass galaxies are longer, stronger, and more resilient to spiral interference. Bars in low-mass galaxies undergo only slight vertical thickening over time, whereas those in high-mass galaxies thicken rapidly via buckling instability.