arXiv subjects

Vera Rubin

Publications and source records attributed to Vera Rubin.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2019

Rotation Curves of Spiral Galaxies

Rotation curves of spiral galaxies are the major tool for determining the distribution of mass in spiral galaxies. They provide fundamental information for understanding the dynamics, evolution and formation of spiral galaxies. We describe various methods to derive rotation curves, and review the results obtained. We discuss the basic characteristics of observed rotation curves in relation to various galaxy properties, such as Hubble type, structure, activity, and environment.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

High-resolution rotation curves of LSB galaxies: Mass Models

We present mass models for a sample of 30 high-resolution rotation curves of low surface brightness (LSB) galaxies. We fit both pseudo-isothermal (core-dominated) and Cold Dark Matter (CDM) (cusp-dominated) halos for a wide variety of assumptions about the stellar mass-to-light ratio. We find that the pseudo-isothermal model provides superior fits. CDM fits show systematic deviations from the data, and often have a small statistical likelihood of being the appropriate model. The distribution of concentration parameters is too broad, and has too low a mean, to be explained by $Λ$CDM. This failing becomes more severe as increasing allowance is made for stellar mass: NFW fits require uncomfortably low mass-to-light ratios. In contrast, the maximum disk procedure does often succeed in predicting the inner shape of the rotation curves, but requires uncomfortably large stellar mass-to- light ratios. The data do admit reasonable stellar population mass-to-light ratios if halos have cores rather than cusps.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2001

High-resolution rotation curves of low surface brightness galaxies: Data

We present long slit Halpha observations of 50 low surface brightness galaxies. Of these, 36 are of sufficient quality to form rotation curves. These data provide a large increase in the number of low surface brightness galaxies for which accurate rotation curves are available. They also represent an order of magnitude improvement in spatial resolution over previous 21 cm studies (1" to 2" instead of 13" to 45"). The improved resolution and accuracy of the data extend and strengthen the scientific conclusions previously inferred from 21 cm data.

astro-ph↗