Data on galaxy rotation curves vs visible matter

In summary, Stacy McGaugh's website and "SPARC" database contains high quality data that is difficult to find in table form. If you adopt a truly unbiased scientific approach, you should be familiar with his work.
  • #1
bakerjay
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TL;DR Summary
I'm after some raw data (visible mass vs total mass within different radii) for testing theories of dark matter in galaxies.
I'm after some raw data for testing theories of dark matter in galaxies.

Basically what I want is table showing visible mass vs total mass within different radii (or, observed rotational velocity vs expected rotational velocity without dark matter). Plus error percentages. And ideally, for multiple different galaxies.

I've been able to find lots of low-res graphs such as this, which show the sort of data I'm after, but can't seem to find it in table form...

ation_curve_of_spiral_galaxy_Messier_33_Triangulum.png
 
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  • #2
bakerjay said:
TL;DR Summary: I'm after some raw data (visible mass vs total mass within different radii) for testing theories of dark matter in galaxies.
I guess you have not yet found Stacy McGaugh's website and the extensive, high quality "SPARC" database, together with his data pages?

Prof McGaugh and colleagues have already done vast amounts of that kind of attempted DM fitting, eventually leading himself into deep disappointment about DM. If you can adopt a truly unbiased scientific approach, you would profit by familiarizing yourself with their work over the past 20+ yrs.
 
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  • #3
strangerep said:
I guess you have not yet found Stacy McGaugh's website and the extensive, high quality "SPARC" database, together with his data pages?

Prof McGaugh and colleagues have already done vast amounts of that kind of attempted DM fitting, eventually leading himself into deep disappointment about DM. If you can adopt a truly unbiased scientific approach, you would profit by familiarizing yourself with their work over the past 20+ yrs.
Oh great, thanks! That looks like the kind of thing I'm after.

I'm having a bit of trouble interpreting some of that - for instance, in the 'Newtonian Mass Models' data, there is observed velocity, and then velocity contributions from gas, and from disk. I would have anticipated that {observed - gas - disk} would give you the velocity contribution from dark matter, but often the gas+disk contributions are actually greater than the observed velocity. What am I missing here?
 
  • #4
Alas, I'm not an expert, and you didn't quote the data examples that you're puzzled about.

So I'll just note that, at low accelerations, one finds that ##\,g_{obs} \propto \sqrt{g_{bar}}## .

For more detail, try these papers:

One Law to Rule them All: the Radial Acceleration Relation of Galaxies

The Radial Acceleration Relation in Rotationally Supported Galaxies

You might also benefit by following McGaugh's blog Triton Station, and also reading some of his older blog posts therein.

If you reply quickly to any of his (new) blog posts, and ask questions, sometimes he (or another poster) will answer helpfully, even if your question is not quite on the topic of his post.
 

1. What are galaxy rotation curves?

Galaxy rotation curves are graphs that show the rotational velocity of stars or gas in a galaxy as a function of their distance from the center of the galaxy. They are used to study the distribution of mass within a galaxy.

2. How do scientists collect data on galaxy rotation curves?

Scientists use various techniques such as spectroscopy and radio astronomy to measure the rotational velocities of stars and gas in a galaxy. They then plot this data to create a rotation curve for the galaxy.

3. What is the significance of comparing galaxy rotation curves to visible matter?

By comparing galaxy rotation curves to the visible matter in a galaxy, scientists can determine whether there is additional mass present that is not accounted for by the visible matter. This can provide insights into the presence of dark matter, which is thought to make up a significant portion of a galaxy's mass.

4. How does the data on galaxy rotation curves support the existence of dark matter?

The data on galaxy rotation curves shows that the rotational velocities of stars and gas in a galaxy remain constant even at large distances from the center, indicating the presence of additional mass. This is consistent with the theory of dark matter, which is believed to exert a gravitational pull on objects within a galaxy.

5. Can galaxy rotation curves be used to study the evolution of galaxies?

Yes, galaxy rotation curves can provide valuable information about the distribution of mass within a galaxy, which can in turn shed light on the formation and evolution of galaxies. By studying rotation curves of different types of galaxies, scientists can gain a better understanding of the processes that shape our universe.

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