Characterization of Orbits in Bars in Disc Galaxies Using Fourier Frequencies

RESUMO

Bars are among the most prominent dynamical structures in disc galaxies, yet their long-term evolution and the orbital families that sustain them remain only partially understood. In this work, we introduce a new methodology based on frozen potentials combined with Fourier analysis of particle trajectories to identify regular and sticky orbits in self-consistent $N$-body simulations. This approach allows us to isolate particles belonging to the $x_1$ family, directly associated with the bar, and the $x_2$ family, linked to a secondary perpendicular structure. Tracking these orbits across multiple snapshots enables us to quantify the time evolution of key bar properties, including its mass fraction, semi-axes, and density profile. Compared with established used diagnostics, our method provides the closest match to the temporal behaviour of the Fourier bar-strength parameter $A_2$, while offering a direct dynamical interpretation and full three-dimensional characterization that Fourier-based approaches cannot provide. Our analysis further reveals that the indices $n_x$, $n_y$, and $n_z$ describing the bar density distribution are anisotropic and rarely equal to the canonical $n=2$ assumed in Ferrers profiles, highlighting the limitations of standard analytical approximations. We also find strong correlations between bar growth, orbital chaoticity, and angular momentum redistribution, with the bar acting both as a sink and as a driver of angular momentum transfer. A comparison between the two models analysed shows that rapidly forming bars are weaker and less stable than those that grow more gradually. Altogether, our methodology provides a robust framework for linking orbital structure to the dynamical evolution of barred galaxies.