Gaseous Structures in Barred Galaxies: Effects of the Bar Strength

We use hydrodynamic simulations to study the physical properties of gaseous structures in barred galaxies and their relationships with the bar strength. We vary the bar mass fbar relative to the spheroidal component as well as its aspect ratio. We derive expressions for the bar strength Qb and the radius where the maximum bar torque occurs. When applied to observations, these expressions suggest that bars in real galaxies are most likely to have fbar = 0.25-0.5. Dust lanes approximately follow one of x1-orbits and tend to be more straight under a stronger and more elongated bar. A nuclear ring of a conventional x2 type forms only when the bar is not so massive or elongated. The radius of an x2-type ring is generally smaller than the inner Lindblad resonance, decreases systematically with increasing Qb, evidencing that the ring position is not determined by the resonance but by the bar strength. Nuclear spirals exist only when the ring is of the x2-type and sufficiently large in size. Unlike the other features, nuclear spirals are transient in that they start out as being tightly-wound and weak, and then due to the nonlinear effect unwind and become stronger until turning into shocks, with an unwinding rate higher for larger Qb.