Are rotation curves in NGC 6946 and the Milky Way magnetically supported ?
نویسندگان
چکیده
Following the model of magnetically supported rotation of spiral galaxies, the inner disk rotation is dominated by gravity but magnetism is not negligible at radii where the rotation curve becomes flat, and indeed becomes dominant at very large radii. Values of the order of 1 µG, or even less, produce a centripetal force when the absolute value of the slope of the curve [B ϕ , R] (azimuthal field strength versus radius) is less than R −1. The R −1-profile is called the critical profile. From this hypothesis, the following is to be expected: at large radii, a " subcritical " profile (slope flatter than R −1); at still larger radii a B ϕ-profile becoming asymptotically critical as the density becomes asymptotically vanishing. Recent observations of magnetic fields in NGC 6946 and the Milky Way are in very good agreement with these predictions. This magnetic alternative requires neither galactic dark matter (DM) nor modification of fundamental laws of physics, but it is not in conflict with these hypotheses, especially with the existence of cosmological cold dark matter (CDM).
منابع مشابه
Magnetism in the spiral galaxy NGC 6946: magnetic arms, depolarization rings, dynamo modes and helical fields
Context. The spiral galaxy NGC 6946 hosts magnetic spiral arms, highly aligned magnetic fields between the gas/optical arms. Aims. The origin of the magnetic phenomena and their relation to the interstellar gas are investigated. Methods. NGC 6946 was observed in total intensity and linear polarization in five radio bands between 3 cm and 21 cm. Maps of spectral index, Faraday rotation and depol...
متن کاملSynthesis Imaging of Dense Gas in Nearby Galaxies
We present images of the HCN J = 1-0 emission from five nearby spiral galaxies made with the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland Association interferometer. The HCN observations comprise the first high-resolution (θ ∼ 5– 10) survey of dense molecular gas from a sample of normal galaxies, rather than galaxies with prolific starburst or nuclear activities. The images show compact structure, demonstrating ...
متن کاملDynamical stability and evolution of the discs of Sc galaxies
We examine the local stability of galactic discs against axisymmetric density perturbations with special attention to the different dynamics of the stellar and gaseous components. In particular the discs of the Milky Way and of NGC 6946 are studied. The Milky Way is shown to be stable, whereas the inner parts of NGC 6946, a typical Sc galaxy from the Kennicutt (1989) sample, are dynamically uns...
متن کاملAstronomy and Astrophysics Mapping the Submillimeter Spiral Wave in Ngc 6946
We have analysed SCUBA 850µm images of the (near) face-on spiral galaxy NGC 6946, paying particular attention to the subtraction of sky signal. A comparison with both 21cm HI and 12 CO(2-1) intensity maps reveals a tight correlation between dust thermal emission and molecular gas at the kiloparsec level. By means of a Monte Carlo radiative transfer model, we convert a B-K colour image of NGC 69...
متن کاملRelativity Resolves Galactic Rotation Without Exotic Dark Matter
A galaxy is modeled as a stationary axially symmetric pressure-free fluid in general relativity. For the weak gravitational fields under consideration, the field equations and the equations of motion ultimately lead to one linear and one non-linear equation relating the angular velocity to the fluid density. It is shown that the rotation curves for the Milky Way, NGC 3031, NGC 3198 and NGC 7331...
متن کامل