1996A&A...309..381K

We have constructed self-consistent models of the barred spiral galaxies NGC 3992, NGC 1073, and NGC 1398 based on their rotation curves and surface photometry. The main factors that influence self-consistency are the global shape and amplitude of the bar/spiral perturbation, the bar/spiral pattern speed, the axisymmetric background disk density, and the velocity dispersion. Under the assumption of a single pattern speed for both bar and spiral, the preferred situation is for the spiral arms to emanate directly from the ends of the bar. In each model the structure of the bar and of the outermost portions of the spiral arms is dominated by regular orbits trapped around the central family. On the other hand, chaotic orbits whose Jacobi constants lie between the values at the Lagrange points L₁ and L₄ are found to play a significant role in supporting the inner portions of the spiral arms from the ends of the bar out to approximately the outer 4/1 resonance.