Abstract
The paper investigates the dynamics of shell formation, addressing issues such as general requirements for shell formation systems, expected sharpness of shells, longevity of shell systems, and comparison of the competing models for the origin of the shell-forming stars. Shell formation is studied first in a one-dimensional potential, which gives new insights into the formation of shear shells, and then in an integrable three dimensional potential, which can cause an initially localized particle distribution to produce shells. The sharpness of shells is governed by the extent of the initial particle distribution in the angular dimensions. Approximate analytical expressions for shell thickness and spacing are derived in terms of the three frequencies which govern particle motions in the potential. The expressions apply to the limit when the initial particle distribution has become well sheared in phase space. Tightly wrapped shells make the invariant surfaces of a galaxy's potential visible and will provide valuable information concerning the structure of elliptical galaxies. 42 refs.
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