Do All Galaxies with Dark Matter Halos Have Flat Rotation Curves?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on whether all galaxies with dark matter halos exhibit flat rotation curves. Participants explore the implications of dark matter in explaining the gravitational behavior of various galaxy types, including spiral and elliptical galaxies. The conversation highlights the distinction between dark matter halos and flat rotation curves, emphasizing that while flat rotation curves are commonly associated with spiral galaxies, the concept may not apply uniformly across all galaxy types. Theoretical justifications for expected rotation curves are grounded in Newtonian gravity and mass distribution models.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of dark matter and its role in galaxy formation.
  • Familiarity with Newtonian gravity and its application in astrophysics.
  • Knowledge of rotation curves and their significance in galactic dynamics.
  • Basic grasp of mass distribution models in astronomy.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the implications of MOND (Modified Newtonian Dynamics) on galaxy rotation curves.
  • Study the differences in dark matter halo characteristics between spiral and elliptical galaxies.
  • Examine the methods used to derive rotation curves from observational data.
  • Learn about the role of gravitational lensing in inferring dark matter presence in galaxies.
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Astronomers, astrophysicists, and students interested in the dynamics of galaxies and the role of dark matter in cosmic structures.

  • #31
davicle said:
[...] my own doodlings have shown that this certainly does not happen with a disc. [...]
FYI, you longer need to "doodle" with these sorts of nontrivial computations...

I just posted a thread about Jo Bovy's new interactive book on Galactic Dynamics. Among many other things, it covers detailed derivations for various galactic geometries, e.g., thin disk, thick disk, and others.
 
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  • #32
snorkack said:
Why should vast majority of particles stream through the central area, i. e. have low periapse requiring low individual angular momentum? In case of no collisions, would there be any mechanism to clear out high periapse orbits?
Hey, thanks for this question. I've been trying to recall the argument for that, and I'm increasingly certain I've just pulled it out of my lower back at some point in the past and then started believing it.
Because as you say, it shouldn't be the case, should it? And in any case, the density being inversely dependent on the radius doesn't require 'the vast majority' of DM to be going through the central region. The vast majority of the mass should actually be in the halo, given the approx. 1/r density profile, since the volume obviously grows faster with r.
 
  • #33
Bandersnatch said:
Because as you say, it shouldn't be the case, should it? And in any case, the density being inversely dependent on the radius doesn't require 'the vast majority' of DM to be going through the central region. The vast majority of the mass should actually be in the halo, given the approx. 1/r density profile, since the volume obviously grows faster with r.
The entire mass is in the halo for the simple reason that the mass is infinite - 1/r density obviously means that the density diverges to infinity at r=0, while the mass diverges to infinity with r2.
But note that for a spherically symmetric distribution of masses on circular orbits, the said spherical distribution is completely free and arbitrary.
Whereas eccentric orbits provide constraints on the relative densities of different shells. On the assumption that the orbits are incommensurate periods and the particles have spread uniformly around their orbits, we can figure out instant mass distribution from distribution of orbits.
If all orbits are high eccentricity, then every single particle spends most of time in the halo moving slowly, and a small fraction of time moving fast through the centre. But since the particles coming from different directions get together in the centre, what is the net result? Which distribution of orbits gives 1/r density?
 

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