Author ORCID Identifier
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-10-2004
Abstract
The mass discrepancy in disk galaxies is shown to be well correlated with acceleration, increasing systematically with decreasing acceleration below a critical scale a0 ≈ 3700 km2 s-2 kpc -1 = 1.2 × 10-10 m s-2. For each galaxy, there is an optimal choice of stellar mass-to-light ratio that minimizes the scatter in this mass discrepancy-acceleration relation. The same mass-to-light ratios also minimize the scatter in the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation and are in excellent agreement with the expectations of stellar population synthesis. Once the disk mass is determined in this fashion, the dark matter distribution is specified. The circular velocity attributable to the dark matter can be expressed as a simple equation that depends only on the observed distribution of baryonic mass. It is a challenge to understand how this very fine-tuned coupling between mass and light comes about.
Keywords
dark matter, galaxies: kinematics and dynamics, galaxies: spiral
Language
English
Publication Title
Astrophysical Journal
Grant
206078
Rights
© The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. This content is free to access, download, and share. For all other uses, you must obtain permission to reuse content: https://journals.aas.org/article-charges-and-copyright/#AAS_material
Recommended Citation
Stacy S. McGaugh 2004. The Mass Discrepancy-Acceleration Relation: Disk Mass and the Dark Matter Distribution. ApJ 609 652
Manuscript Version
Final Publisher Version