Abstract
ABSTRACT. A potential function f (&),z) has been developed as a modern, mathematically simple representation of the mass distribution in our gal axy. The function f is postulated to be the superposition of the potential functions of a central mass point, an ellipsoidal disk and a spheri cal halo. The rotation curve which results fran this mass model is flat fran about 17 kpc out to 100 kpc, and represents well the observed values in the range 1 to 17 kpc. Its overall shape is similar to the rotation curves of M31 and NGC 3200, and thus in good agreement to what we believe the galactic rotation curve to be like. With an adopted value for the total local mass density of 0.18 pc- the resulting perpendicular force, K , also agrees with observationally determined values. The total galactic mass implied by the model is about 1012 solar masses. The escape velocity for objects in the solar vicinity is 546 km . The derived values for the rotation constants are A=l 5.9 1 and B- - 12.2 km in good agreement with modern observational determinations. In contrast to other recent mass models for our galaxy, the proposed potential function is continuous everywhere, and has continuous derivatives; its simple mathematical form makes it particularly well suited for efficient and accurate numerical orbit canputations. details about this work can be found in Allen and Martos 1986, Rev. Mexicana Astron. Astrof., volume 13, p. 137.
