Role of fly-by interactions in the kinematic and morphological evolution of galaxies

Galaxies are dynamic objects and are usually found in groups and clusters where they interact with each other gravitationally. Broadly speaking, galaxies go through two types of interactions: (1) mergers and (2) fly-bys. Galaxy fly-bys are as frequent as mergers and play a vital role in the formation and evolution of galaxies as they involve the exchange of significant amounts of mass and energy. As a part of my PhD thesis project, I have studied the effect of fly-by interactions and dark matter distribution on the evolution of disk galaxies. In this presentation, I will discuss the importance of fly-by interactions in the evolution of the Milky Way mass host (primary) galaxy. I will mainly focus on the evolution of bulges, the formation of spiral patterns and the origin of vertical breathing motion as observed in the Milky Way. I will also emphasize the importance of computational facilities to understand the basic physics behind galaxy formation and evolution.