Polar ring galaxies as tests of gravity

Polar ring galaxies are ideal objects with which to study the three-dimensional shapes of galactic gravitational potentials since two rotation curves can be measured in two perpendicular planes. Observational studies have uncovered systematically larger rotation velocities in the extended polar rings than in the associated host galaxies. In the dark matter context, this can only be explained through dark halos that are systematically flattened along the polar rings. Here, we point out that these objects can also be used as very effective tests of gravity theories, such as those based on Milgromian dynamics (MOND). We run a set of polar ring models using both Milgromian and Newtonian dynamics to predict the expected shapes of the rotation curves in both planes, varying the total mass of the system, the mass of the ring with respect to the host, as well as the size of the hole at the center of the ring. We find that Milgromian dynamics not only naturally leads to rotation velocities being typically higher in the extended polar rings than in the hosts, as would be the case in Newtonian dynamics without dark matter, but that it also gets the shape and amplitude of velocities correct. Milgromian dynamics thus adequately explains this particular property of polar ring galaxies.Comment: 9 pages, 8 Figures, 1 Table, Accepted for publication by MNRA

Galaxy size trends as a consequence of cosmology

We show that recently documented trends in galaxy sizes with mass and redshift can be understood in terms of the influence of underlying cosmic evolution; a holistic view which is complimentary to interpretations involving the accumulation of discreet evolutionary processes acting on individual objects. Using standard cosmology theory, supported with results from the Millennium simulations, we derive expected size trends for collapsed cosmic structures, emphasising the important distinction between these trends and the assembly paths of individual regions. We then argue that the observed variation in the stellar mass content of these structures can be understood to first order in terms of natural limitations of cooling and feedback. But whilst these relative masses vary by orders of magnitude, galaxy and host radii have been found to correlate linearly. We explain how these two aspects will lead to galaxy sizes that closely follow observed trends and their evolution, comparing directly with the COSMOS and SDSS surveys. Thus we conclude that the observed minimum radius for galaxies, the evolving trend in size as a function of mass for intermediate systems, and the observed increase in the sizes of massive galaxies, may all be considered an emergent consequence of the cosmic expansion.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figures. Accepted by MNRA

Correlations among global photometric properties of disk galaxies

Using a two-dimensional galaxy image decomposition technique, we extract global bulge and disk parameters for a complete sample of early type disk galaxies in the near infrared K band. We find significant correlation of the bulge parameter n with the central bulge surface brightness $\mu_b(0)$ and with effective radius r_e. Using bivar iate analysis techniques, we find that $\log n$, $\log r_e$ and $\mu_b(0)$ are distributed in a plane with small scatter. We do not find a strong correlation of n with bulge-to-disk luminosity ratio, contrary to earlier reports. r_e and the disk scale length r_d are well correlated for these early type disk galaxies, but with large scatter. We examine the implications of our results to various bulge formation scenarios in disk galaxies.Comment: 14 pages, LaTeX including 14 figures. To appear in the Astrophysical Journa

Atomic Hydrogen Properties of AGN Host Galaxies: HI in 16 NUclei of GAlaxies (NUGA) Sources

We present a comprehensive spectroscopic imaging survey of the distribution and kinematics of atomic hydrogen (HI) in 16 nearby spiral galaxies hosting low luminosity AGN, observed with high spectral and spatial resolution (resolution: ~20 arcsec, 5 km/s) using the NRAO Very Large Array (VLA). The sample contains a range of nuclear types, ranging from Seyfert to star-forming nuclei and was originally selected for the NUclei of GAlaxies project (NUGA) - a spectrally and spatially resolved interferometric survey of gas dynamics in nearby galaxies designed to identify the fueling mechanisms of AGN and the relation to host galaxy evolution. Here we investigate the relationship between the HI properties of these galaxies, their environment, their stellar distribution and their AGN type. The large-scale HI morphology of each galaxy is classified as ringed, spiral, or centrally concentrated; comparison of the resulting morphological classification with AGN type reveals that ring structures are significantly more common in LINER than in Seyfert host galaxies, suggesting a time evolution of the AGN activity together with the redistribution of the neutral gas. Dynamically disturbed HI disks are also more prevalent in LINER host galaxies than in Seyfert host galaxies. While several galaxies are surrounded by companions (some with associated HI emission), there is no correlation between the presence of companions and the AGN type (Seyfert/LINER).Comment: 54 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in AJ. The full-resolution version is available at http://www.mpia.de/homes/haan/research.htm

Loss of mass and stability of galaxies in MOND

The self-binding energy and stability of a galaxy in MOND-based gravity are curiously decreasing functions of its center of mass acceleration towards neighbouring mass concentrations. A tentative indication of this breaking of the Strong Equivalence Principle in field galaxies is the RAVE-observed escape speed in the Milky Way. Another consequence is that satellites of field galaxies will move on nearly Keplerian orbits at large radii (100 - 500 kpc), with a declining speed below the asymptotically constant naive MOND prediction. But consequences of an environment-sensitive gravity are even more severe in clusters, where member galaxies accelerate fast: no more Dark-Halo-like potential is present to support galaxies, meaning that extended axisymmetric disks of gas and stars are likely unstable. These predicted reappearance of asymptotic Keplerian velocity curves and disappearance of "stereotypic galaxies" in clusters are falsifiable with targeted surveys.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, ApJ Letter

Simplicity of eigenvalues in Anderson-type models

We show almost sure simplicity of eigenvalues for several models of Anderson-type random Schr\"odinger operators, extending methods introduced by Simon for the discrete Anderson model. These methods work throughout the spectrum and are not restricted to the localization regime. We establish general criteria for the simplicity of eigenvalues which can be interpreted as separately excluding the absence of local and global symmetries, respectively. The criteria are applied to Anderson models with matrix-valued potential as well as with single-site potentials supported on a finite box.Comment: 20 page

Dynamical Friction and the Distribution of Dark Matter in Barred Galaxies

We use fully self-consistent N-body simulations of barred galaxies to show that dynamical friction from a dense dark matter halo dramatically slows the rotation rate of bars. Our result supports previous theoretical predictions for a bar rotating within a massive halo. On the other hand, low density halos, such as those required for maximum disks, allow the bar to continue to rotate at a high rate. There is somewhat meager observational evidence indicating that bars in real galaxies do rotate rapidly and we use our result to argue that dark matter halos must have a low central density in all high surface brightness disk galaxies, including the Milky Way. Bars in galaxies that have larger fractions of dark matter should rotate slowly, and we suggest that a promising place to look for such candidate objects is among galaxies of intermediate surface brightness.Comment: 6 pages, Latex, 3 figures, Accepted by Ap.J.L., revised copy, includes an added paragrap

Bar Diagnostics in Edge-On Spiral Galaxies. II. Hydrodynamical Simulations

We develop diagnostics based on gas kinematics to identify the presence of a bar in an edge-on spiral galaxy and determine its orientation. We use position-velocity diagrams (PVDs) obtained by projecting edge-on two-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of the gas flow in a barred galaxy potential. We show that when a nuclear spiral is formed, the presence of a gap in the PVDs, between the signature of the nuclear spiral and that of the outer parts of the disk, reliably indicates the presence of a bar. This gap is due to the presence of shocks and inflows in the simulations, leading to a depletion of the gas in the outer bar region. If no nuclear spiral signature is present in a PVD, only indirect arguments can be used to argue for the presence of a bar. The shape of the signature of the nuclear spiral, and to a lesser extent that of the outer bar region, allows to determine the orientation of the bar with respect to the line-of-sight. The presence of dust can also help to discriminate between viewing angles on either side of the bar. Simulations covering a large fraction of parameter space constrain the bar properties and mass distribution of observed galaxies. The strongest constraint comes from the presence or absence of the signature of a nuclear spiral in the PVD.Comment: 25 pages (AASTeX, aaspp4.sty), 11 jpg figures. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal. Online manuscript with PostScript figures available at: http://www.strw.leidenuniv.nl/~bureau/pub_list.htm

Quantum enhancement of N-photon phase sensitivity by interferometric addition of down-converted photon pairs to weak coherent light

It is shown that the addition of down-converted photon pairs to coherent laser light enhances the N-photon phase sensitivity due to the quantum interference between components of the same total photon number. Since most of the photons originate from the coherent laser light, this method of obtaining non-classical N-photon states is much more efficient than methods based entirely on parametrically down-converted photons. Specifically, it is possible to achieve an optimal phase sensitivity of about delta phi^2=1/N^(3/2), equal to the geometric mean of the standard quantum limit and the Heisenberg limit, when the average number of down-converted photons contributing to the N-photon state approaches (N/2)^(1/2).Comment: 21 pages, including 6 figures. Extended version gives more details on down-conversion efficiencies and clarifies the relation between phase sensitivity and squeezing. The title has been changed in order to avoid misunderstandings regarding these concept

Polar Ring Galaxies and the Tully Fisher relation: implications for the dark halo shape

We have investigated the Tully-Fisher relation for Polar Ring Galaxies (PRGs), based on near infrared, optical and HI data available for a sample of these peculiar objects. The total K-band luminosity, which mainly comes from the central host galaxy, and the measured HI linewidth at 20% of the peak line flux density, which traces the potential in the polar plane, place most polar rings of the sample far from the Tully-Fisher relation defined for spiral galaxies, with many PRGs showing larger HI linewidths than expected for the observed K band luminosity. This result is confirmed by a larger sample of objects, based on B-band data. This observational evidence may be related to the dark halo shape and orientation in these systems, which we study by numerical modeling of PRG formation and dynamics: the larger rotation velocities observed in PRGs can be explained by a flattened polar halo, aligned with the polar ring.Comment: 22 pages, 8 postscript figures, accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journa