126 research outputs found
Testing Modified Newtonian Dynamics with Rotation Curves of Dwarf and Low Surface Brightness Galaxies
Dwarf and low surface brightness galaxies are ideal objects to test modified
Newtonian dynamics (MOND), because in most of these galaxies the accelerations
fall below the threshold below where MOND supposedly applies. We have selected
from the literature a sample of 27 dwarf and low surface brightness galaxies.
MOND is successful in explaining the general shape of the observed rotation
curves for roughly three quarters of the galaxies in the sample presented here.
However, for the remaining quarter, MOND does not adequately explain the
observed rotation curves. Considering the uncertainties in distances and
inclinations for the galaxies in our sample, a small fraction of poor MOND
predictions is expected and is not necessarily a problem for MOND. We have also
made fits taking the MOND acceleration constant, a_0, as a free parameter in
order to identify any systematic trends. We find that there appears to be a
correlation between central surface brightness and the best-fit value of a_0,
in the sense that lower surface brightness galaxies tend to have lower a_0.
However, this correlation depends strongly on a small number of galaxies whose
rotation curves might be uncertain due to either bars or warps. Without these
galaxies, there is less evidence of a trend, but the average value we find for
a_0 ~ 0.7*10^-8 cm s^-2 is somewhat lower than derived from previous studies.
Such lower fitted values of a_0 could occur if external gravitational fields
are important.Comment: 12 pages, accepted for publication in Ap
The rotation curves shapes of late-type dwarf galaxies
We present rotation curves derived for a sample of 62 late-type dwarf
galaxies that have been observed as part of the Westerbork HI Survey of Spiral
and Irregular Galaxies (WHISP) project. The rotation curves were derived by
interactively fitting model data cubes to the observed cubes, taking rotation
curve shape, HI distribution, inclination, and the size of the beam into
account. This makes it possible to correct for the effects of beam smearing.
The dwarf galaxies in our sample have rotation-curve shapes that are similar to
those of late-type spiral galaxies, in the sense that their rotation curves,
when expressed in units of disk scale lengths, rise as steeply in the inner
parts and start to flatten at two disk scale lengths. None of the galaxies in
our sample have solid-body rotation curves that extend beyond three scale
lengths. The logarithmic outer rotation curve slopes are similar between
late-type dwarf and spiral galaxies. Thus, whether the flat part of the
rotation curve is reached seems to depend more on the extent of the rotation
curve than on its amplitude. We also find that the outer rotation curve shape
does not strongly depend on luminosity, at least for galaxies fainter than
M_R~-19. We find that in spiral galaxies and in the central regions of
late-type dwarf galaxies, the shape of the central distribution of light and
the inner rise of the rotation curve are related. This implies that galaxies
with stronger central concentrations of light also have higher central mass
densities, and it suggests that the luminous mass dominates the gravitational
potential in the central regions, even in low surface brightness dwarf
galaxies.Comment: 22 pages, 2009 A&A 493, 87
The Westerbork HI Survey of Spiral and Irregular Galaxies I. HI Imaging of Late-type Dwarf Galaxies
Neutral hydrogen observations with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope
are presented for a sample of 73 late-type dwarf galaxies. These observations
are part of the WHISP project (Westerbork HI Survey of Spiral and Irregular
Galaxies). Here we present HI maps, velocity fields, global profiles and radial
surface density profiles of HI, as well as HI masses, HI radii and line widths.
For the late-type galaxies in our sample, we find that the ratio of HI extent
to optical diameter, defined as 6.4 disk scale lengths, is on average 1.8+-0.8,
similar to that seen in spiral galaxies. Most of the dwarf galaxies in this
sample are rich in HI, with a typical M_HI/L_B of 1.5. The relative HI content
M_HI/L_R increases towards fainter absolute magnitudes and towards fainter
surface brightnesses. Dwarf galaxies with lower average HI column densities
also have lower average optical surface brightnesses. We find that lopsidedness
is as common among dwarf galaxies as it is in spiral galaxies. About half of
the dwarf galaxies in our sample have asymmetric global profiles, a third has a
lopsided HI distribution, and about half shows signs of kinematic lopsidedness.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. 18 pages. 39 MB version with all
figures is available http://www.robswork.net/publications/WHISPI.ps.g
The Link between the Baryonic Mass Distribution and the Rotation Curve Shape
The observed rotation curves of disc galaxies, ranging from late-type dwarf
galaxies to early-type spirals, can be fit remarkably well simply by scaling up
the contributions of the stellar and HI discs. This `baryonic scaling model'
can explain the full breadth of observed rotation curves with only two free
parameters. For a small fraction of galaxies, in particular early-type spiral
galaxies, HI scaling appears to fail in the outer parts, possibly due to
observational effects or ionization of the HI. The overall success of the
baryonic scaling model suggests that the well-known global coupling between the
baryonic mass of a galaxy and its rotation velocity (known as the baryonic
Tully-Fisher relation), applies at a more local level as well, and it seems to
imply a link between the baryonic mass distribution and the distribution of
total mass (including dark matter).Comment: 10 pages, accepted for publication in MNRA
Are Dwarf Galaxies Dominated by Dark Matter?
Mass models for a sample of 18 late-type dwarf and low surface brightness
galaxies show that in almost all cases the contribution of the stellar disks to
the rotation curves can be scaled to explain most of the observed rotation
curves out to two or three disk scale lengths. The concept of a maximum disk,
therefore, appears to work as well for these late-type dwarf galaxies as it
does for spiral galaxies. Some of the mass-to-light ratios required in our
maximum disk fits are high, however, up to about 15 in the R-band, with the
highest values occurring in galaxies with the lowest surface brightnesses.
Equally well-fitting mass models can be obtained with much lower mass-to-light
ratios. Regardless of the actual contribution of the stellar disk, the fact
that the maximum disk can explain the inner parts of the observed rotation
curves highlights the similarity in shapes of the rotation curve of the stellar
disk and the observed rotation curve. This similarity implies that the
distribution of the total mass density is closely coupled to that of the
luminous mass density in the inner parts of late-type dwarf galaxies.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa
VLT/VIMOS Integral field kinematics of the Giant Low Surface Brightness galaxy ESO 323-G064
We studied the bulge and the disk kinematic of the giant Low Surface
Brightness (LSB) galaxy ESO 323-G064 in order to investigate its dynamics and
its Dark Matter (DM) content. We observed the galaxy with the integral field
spectroscopy (VLT/VIMOS, in IFU configuration). Results for the gaseous
kinematics (bulge and disk) and stellar kinematics (bulge) are presented,
together with a Jeans model for the stellar bulge kinematics.Comment: Proceeding of Formation and evolution of galaxy disks, 1-5 Oct. 2007,
Rome - Ital
The stellar velocity dispersion in the inner 1.3 disk scale-lengths of the irregular galaxy NGC 4449
We present measurements of the stellar velocity dispersion in the inner 1
arcmin radius (1.3 disk scale-lengths) of the irregular galaxy NGC 4449
determined from long-slit absorption-line spectra. The average observed
dispersion is 29 +/-2 km/s, the same as predicted from NGC 4449's luminosity.
No significant rotation in the stars is detected. If we assume a maximum
rotation speed of the stars from the model determined from the gas kinematics
of Hunter et al. (2002), the ratio V_max/sigma_z measured globally is 3. This
ratio is comparable to values measured in spiral galaxies, and implies that the
stellar disk in NGC 4449 is kinematically relatively cold. The intrinsic
minor-to-major axis ratio (b/a)_0 is predicted to be in the range 0.3-0.6,
similar to values derived from the distribution of observed b/a of Im galaxies.
However, V/sigma_z measured locally is 0.5-1.1, and so the circular velocity of
NGC 4449 is comparable or less than the velocity of the stars within the
central 1.3 disk scale-lengths of the galaxy.Comment: To be published in ApJ, Nov 200
Accurate determination of the mass distribution in spiral galaxies
High resolution Fabry-Perot data of six spiral galaxies are presented. Those data extend the previous sample of spiral galaxies studied with high resolution 3D spectroscopy to earlier morphological types. All the galaxies in the sample have available H I data at 21 cm from the VLA or Westerbork. Velocity fields are analyzed and Hα rotation curves are computed and compared to H I curves. The kinematics of NGC 5055 central regions are looked at more closely. Its peculiar kinematics can be interpreted either as a bipolar outflow or as a counter-rotating disk, possibly hosting a 9 ±2 x 10^8 M_⊙ compact object. Most of the Hα rotation curves present a significantly steeper inner slope than their H I counterparts. The 21 cm data thus seems affected by moderate to strong beam smearing. The beam smearing has an effect at higher scale-length/beam-width than previously thought (up to 20 km s^(-1) at a ratio of 8.5)
Accurate determination of the mass distribution in spiral galaxies III. Fabry-Perot imaging spectroscopy of 6 spiral galaxies
High resolution Fabry-Perot data of six spiral galaxies are presented. Those
data extend the previous sample of spiral galaxies studied with high resolution
3D spectroscopy to earlier morphological types. All the galaxies in the sample
have available HI data at 21 cm from the VLA or Westerbork. Velocity fields are
analyzed and Halpha rotation curves are computed and compared to HI curves. The
kinematics of NGC 5055 central regions are looked at more closely. Its peculiar
kinematics can be interpreted either as a bipolar outflow or as a
counter-rotating disk, possibly hosting a 9 pm 2 10^8 Msol compact object. Most
of the Halpha rotation curves present a significantly steeper inner slope than
their HI counterparts. The 21 cm data thus seems affected by moderate to strong
beam smearing. The beam smearing has an effect at higher
scale-length/beam-width than previously thought (up to 20 km/s at a ratio of
8.5).Comment: Full resolution images available on NASA AD
The Westerbork HI Survey of spiral and irregular galaxies III: HI observations of early-type disk galaxies
We present HI observations of 68 early-type disk galaxies from the WHISP
survey. They have morphological types between S0 and Sab and absolute B-band
magnitudes between -14 and -22. These galaxies form the massive, high
surface-brightness extreme of the disk galaxy population, few of which have
been imaged in HI before.
The HI properties of the galaxies in our sample span a large range; the
average values of M_HI/L_B and D_HI/D_25 are comparable to the ones found in
later-type spirals, but the dispersions around the mean are larger. No
significant differences are found between the S0/S0a and the Sa/Sab galaxies.
Our early-type disk galaxies follow the same HI mass-diameter relation as
later-type spiral galaxies, but their effective HI surface densities are
slightly lower than those found in later-type systems.
In some galaxies, distinct rings of HI emission coincide with regions of
enhanced star formation, even though the average gas densities are far below
the threshold of star formation derived by Kennicutt (1989). Apparently,
additional mechanisms, as yet unknown, regulate star formation at low surface
densities.
Many of the galaxies in our sample have lopsided gas morphologies; in most
cases this can be linked to recent or ongoing interactions or merger events.
Asymmetries are rare in quiescent galaxies. Kinematic lopsidedness is rare,
both in interacting and isolated systems.
In the appendix, we present an atlas of the HI observations: for all galaxies
we show HI surface density maps, global profiles, velocity fields and radial
surface density profiles.Comment: 24 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A. A version with
the full atlas can be downloaded from
http://www.astro.rug.nl/~edo/WHISPIII.ps.gz (gzipped postscript, 9.3Mb
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