Density waves inside the inner Lindblad resonance: Nuclear spirals in diskgalaxies

We analyze the formation of grand-design two-arm spiral structure in the nu clear regions of disk galaxies. Such morphology has been recently detected in a number of objects using high-resolution near-infrared observations. Mo tivated by (1) the observed continuity between the nuclear and kiloparsec-s cale spiral structures and (2) low arm-interarm contrast, we apply the dens ity wave theory to explain the basic properties of the spiral nuclear morph ology. In particular, we address the mechanism for the formation, maintenan ce, and detailed shape of nuclear spirals. We find that the latter depends mostly on the share of the underlying gravitational potential and the sound speed in the gas. Detection of nuclear spiral arms provides diagnostics of mass distribution within the central kiloparsec of disk galaxies. Our resu lts are supported by two-dimensional numerical simulations of gas response to the background gravitational potential of a barred stellar disk. We inve stigate the parameter space allowed for the formation of nuclear spirals us ing a new method for constructing a gravitational potential in a barred gal axy, where positions of resonances are prescribed.