SELF-CONSISTENT MODELS FOR TRIAXIAL GALAXIES WITH FLAT ROTATION CURVES - THE DISK CASE

We examine the possibility of constructing scale-free triaxial logarit hmic potentials self-consistently, using Schwarzschild's linear progra ming method. In particular, we explore the limit of nonaxisymmetric di sks. In this case it is possible to reduce the problem to the self-con sistent reconstruction of the disk surface density on the unit circle, a considerably simpler problem than the usual two- or three-dimension al one. Models with surface densities of the form SIGMA = [x(n) + (y/q )] -1/n with n = 2 or 4 are investigated. We show that the complicated shapes of the ''boxlet'' orbit families (which replace the box orbit family found in potentials with smooth cores) limit the possibility of building self-consistent models, though elliptical disks of axis rati o above 0.7 and a restricted range of boxier models can be constructed . This result relies on using sufficiently fine bins, smaller than the 10-degrees bins commonly used in two- or three-dimensional investigat ions. It also indicates the need for caution in interpreting N-body mo dels of triaxial halos in which the core of the potential is numerical ly smoothed.