Distribution of stars in spiral galaxies

[MathsMonkey]

I've been trying to locate an algorithm to model the distribution of stars in a spiral galaxy. Simple, I thought, I'll just Google it. However I quickly disappeared up my own black hole!

What I'm looking for is a simplified algorithm I can use to model n stars in a galaxy of size x (for example).

It doesn't need to be 100% accurate but allow a number of parameters to be tweaked to provide a model which I can then use with my own visualisations to display. 3rd party software is not what I need.

Anyone give me a rough idea or some better terms to be searching for?

Thanks in advance.

MM

 

[Chronos]

It might be helpful to start with virial theorem.
http://www.astro.cornell.edu/academics/courses/astro201/vt.htm
Nothing easy about this, as you may have surmised.

 

[MathsMonkey]

Thanks Chronos. I've started implementing some prototypes based around Virial now thanks to that link.

I was surprised a) just how complicated this area was and b) how there isn't much stuff already done in this area; examples that I could take as a starting point for my code...