Tully-Fisher relation

Abstract

The observed radial velocity of a galaxy consists of two main components: the recession velocity caused by the smooth Hubble expansion and the peculiar velocity resulting from the gravitational attraction of growing structures due to matter density fluctuations. To isolate the recession velocity component and calculate the Hubble constant, accurate measurements of true distances are needed. The Tully-Fisher relation is an empirical correlation between the luminosity and rotational velocity of spiral galaxies that serves as a distance indicator to measure distances independent of redshift. The Tully-Fisher relation has played an important role in Hubble constant measurements since its inception. This chapter delves into the significance of the Tully-Fisher relation in such measurements and explores its implications. We begin by discussing the definition and historical background of the Tully-Fisher relation. We also explore the observational evidence supporting this relation and discuss its advantages and limitations. The chapter then focuses on the methodology of using the Tully-Fisher relation for Hubble constant measurements. This includes detailed explanations of calibration techniques and biases. We emphasize the advantages of utilizing the Tully-Fisher relation, such as its ability to provide accurate distance measurements even at significant redshift where other methods may encounter challenges.Comment: Invited chapter for the edited book Hubble Constant Tension (Eds. E. Di Valentino and D. Brout, Springer Singapore, expected in 2024