What role does the central bar structure play in organizing gas flow within the galaxy?
Answer
Its non-circular, elliptical field helps redistribute angular momentum inward.
The central bar structure, a prominent feature of the Milky Way, exerts a non-circular, elliptical gravitational field. This specific field configuration is vital for galactic mechanics because it efficiently redistributes angular momentum among the orbiting gas clouds. Gas clouds that are initially moving in nearly circular orbits can lose this angular momentum as they interact with the bar's influence. This loss of angular momentum causes the gas to spiral inward toward the galactic center. Once drawn toward the core, this concentrated gas fuels intense, localized episodes of star formation.
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