Analytical Potential-Density Pairs for Flat Rings and Toroidal Structures

Abstract

The Kuzmin-Toomre family of discs is used to construct potential-density pairs that represent flat ring structures in terms of elementary functions. Systems composed of two concentric flat rings, a central disc surrounded by one ring and a ring with a centre of attraction are also presented. The circular velocity of test particles and the epicyclic frequency of small oscillations about circular orbits are calculated for these structures. A few examples of three-dimensional potential-density pairs of "inflated" flat rings (toroidal mass distributions) are presented.