Abstract
We report a correlation between the radial acceleration traced by rotation curves and that predicted by the observed distribution of baryons. The same relation is followed by 2693 points in 153 galaxies with very different morphologies, masses, sizes, and gas fractions. The correlation persists even when dark matter dominates. Consequently, the dark matter contribution is fully specified by that of the baryons. The observed scatter is small and largely dominated by observational uncertainties. This radial acceleration relation is tantamount to a natural law for rotating galaxies.
- Received 18 May 2016
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.201101
© 2016 American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Viewpoint
Connecting the Bright and Dark Sides of Galaxies
Published 9 November 2016
A universal law shows that the rotation of a disk galaxy is determined entirely by the visible matter it contains, even if the disk is mostly filled with dark matter.
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