If box orbits are destroyed by black holes, astronomers have proposed
that galaxies with massive central black holes cannot be very
triaxial. Since it is the box orbits which support triaxiality, no box
orbits means no triaxiality. This would be of great importance to
studies of galactic evolution, as it means that changes to the nucleus
of a galaxy could have a profound impact on the galaxy as a
whole. Studies of how black holes drive evolution in their host galaxy
are ongoing.
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Figure 9 -
left: a box orbit which has been scattered by a central black hole.
Note the lack of regularity in the orbit.
right: the surface of section
for this orbit. Again, note the chaotic nature of the surface of section,
indicative of scattering.
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