Curt Struck, Iowa State University
Observations are getting good enough to test the nearly 20-year old analytic theory of waves in colliding ring galaxies. The theory can be spiffed up a bit too. As a result it appears that quite simple algebraic equations can describe the nonlinear waves in a wide variety of systems, in stark contrast to our limited understanding of the more common spiral density waves. In future, this may allow us to better understand how waves induce star formation in galaxies.
The image shows a newly discovered Galaxy Zoo double ring system.
