No Arabic abstract
Physical mechanisms that can influence rotation curves of spiral galaxies are discussed. For dark matter studies, possible contributions due to magnetic fields and non-Newtonian gravitational accelerations should be carefully accounted for. We point out that magnetic fields are particularly important in outermost parts of the disk. In the framework of general relativity the physical reason of an enhanced gravity in spiral galaxies depends on the assumed metric. The additional gravity is provided for Schwarzschild metric by nonluminous mass, whereas for Vaidya metric [1] by emission of radiative energy. In the latter case the non-Newtonian acceleration displays 1/r behaviour. Also matter flows contribute to non-Newtonian gravity.
We aim to estimate the contribution of the radial component of the Lorentz force to the gas rotation in several types of galaxies. Using typical parameters for the exponential scale of synchrotron emission and the scale length of HI gas, under the assumption of equipartition between the energies of cosmic rays and total magnetic fields, we derive the Lorentz force and compare it to the gravitational force in the radial component of the momentum equation. We distinguish the different contributions between the large-scale and the small-scale turbulent fields by Reynolds averaging. We compare these findings with a dynamical dynamo model. We find a possible reduction of circular gas velocity in the very outer parts and an increase inside a radius of four times the synchrotron scale length. Sufficiently localized radial reversals of the magnetic field may cause characteristic modulations in the gas rotation curve with typical amplitudes of 10-20 km/s. It is unlikely that the magnetic field contributes to the flat rotation in the outer parts of galaxies. If anything, it will emph{impede} the gravitationally supported rotation, demanding for an even higher halo mass to explain the observed rotation profile. We speculate that this may have consequences for ram pressure stripping and the truncation of the stellar disc.
We study the kinematics and scaling relations of a sample of 43 giant spiral galaxies that have stellar masses exceeding $10^{11}$ $M_odot$ and optical discs up to 80 kpc in radius. We use a hybrid 3D-1D approach to fit 3D kinematic models to long-slit observations of the H$alpha$-[NII] emission lines and we obtain robust rotation curves of these massive systems. We find that all galaxies in our sample seem to reach a flat part of the rotation curve within the outermost optical radius. We use the derived kinematics to study the high-mass end of the two most important scaling relations for spiral galaxies: the stellar/baryonic mass Tully-Fisher relation and the Fall (mass-angular momentum) relation. All galaxies in our sample, with the possible exception of the two fastest rotators, lie comfortably on both these scaling relations determined at lower masses, without any evident break or bend at the high-mass regime. When we combine our high-mass sample with lower-mass data from the Spitzer Photometry & Accurate Rotation Curves catalog, we find a slope of $alpha=4.25pm0.19$ for the stellar Tully-Fisher relation and a slope of $gamma=0.64pm0.11$ for the Fall relation. Our results indicate that most, if not all, of these rare, giant spiral galaxies are scaled
We analyzed ionized gas motion and disk orientation parameters for 15 spiral galaxies. Their velocity fields were measured with the H-alpha emission line by using the Fabry-Perot interferometer at the 6m telescope of SAO RAS. Special attention is paid to the problem of estimating the position angle of the major axis (PA_0) and the inclination (i) of a disk, which strongly affect the derived circular rotation velocity. We discuss and compare different methods of obtaining these parameters from kinematic and photometric observations, taking into account the presence of regular velocity (brightness) perturbations caused by spiral density waves. It is shown that the commonly used method of tilted rings may lead to systematic errors in the estimation of orientation parameters (and hence of circular velocity) being applied to galaxies with an ordered spiral structure. Instead we recommend using an assumption of constancy of i and PA_0 along a radius, to estimate these parameters. For each galaxy of our sample we present monochromatic H-alpha- and continuum maps, velocity fields of ionized gas, and the mean rotation curves in the frame of a model of pure circular gas motion. Significant deviations from circular motion with amplitudes of several tens of km/s (or higher) are found in almost all galaxies. The character and possible nature of the non-circular motion are briefly discussed.
We present optical longslit spectroscopic observations of 21 low-luminosity, extreme late-type spiral galaxies. Our sample is comprised of Sc-Sm Local Supercluster spirals with moderate-to-low optical surface brightnesses and with luminosities at the low end for spiral disk galaxies (M_V>-18.8). For each galaxy we have measured high spatial resolution position-velocity (P-V) curves using the H alpha emission line, and for 15 of the galaxies we also derive major axis rotation curves. In ~50% of our sample, the P-V curves show significant asymmetries in shape, extent, and/or amplitude on the approaching and receding sides of the disk. A number of the P-V curves are still rising to the last measured point, or reach a clear turnover on only one side. In most instances we find good agreement between the kinematic centers of extreme late-type spirals as defined by the global HI emission profile and by their optical continuum, although in a few cases we see evidence of possible real offsets. In spite of their shallow central gravitational potentials, at least 6 of the galaxies in our sample possess semi-stellar nuclei that appear to be compact nuclear star clusters; in 5 of these cases we see kinematic signatures in the P-V curves at the location of the nucleus. Finally, we find that like giant spirals, our sample galaxies have higher specific angular momenta than predicted by current cold dark matter models.
We investigate the dynamics of magnetic fields in spiral galaxies by performing 3D MHD simulations of galactic discs subject to a spiral potential. Recent hydrodynamic simulations have demonstrated the formation of inter-arm spurs as well as spiral arm molecular clouds provided the ISM model includes a cold HI phase. We find that the main effect of adding a magnetic field to these calculations is to inhibit the formation of structure in the disc. However, provided a cold phase is included, spurs and spiral arm clumps are still present if $beta gtrsim 0.1$ in the cold gas. A caveat to two phase calculations though is that by assuming a uniform initial distribution, $beta gtrsim 10$ in the warm gas, emphasizing that models with more consistent initial conditions and thermodynamics are required. Our simulations with only warm gas do not show such structure, irrespective of the magnetic field strength. Furthermore, we find that the introduction of a cold HI phase naturally produces the observed degree of disorder in the magnetic field, which is again absent from simulations using only warm gas. Whilst the global magnetic field follows the large scale gas flow, the magnetic field also contains a substantial random component that is produced by the velocity dispersion induced in the cold gas during the passage through a spiral shock. Without any cold gas, the magnetic field in the warm phase remains relatively well ordered apart from becoming compressed in the spiral shocks. Our results provide a natural explanation for the observed high proportions of disordered magnetic field in spiral galaxies and we thus predict that the relative strengths of the random and ordered components of the magnetic field observed in spiral galaxies will depend on the dynamics of spiral shocks.