Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Apr 1999
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1999mnras.305..357s&link_type=abstract
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 305, Issue 2, pp. 357-364.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
32
Galaxies: Formation, Galaxies: Spiral, Galaxies: Structure, Cosmology: Theory, Dark Matter
Scientific paper
We use data from the literature to constrain theoretical models of galaxy formation. We show how to calculate the dimensionless spin parameter lambda of the haloes of disc galaxies, and we compare the distribution of lambda with that observed in cosmological N-body simulations. The agreement is excellent, which provides strong support for the hierarchical picture of galaxy formation. Assuming only that the radial surface density distribution of discs is exponential, we estimate crudely the maximum-disc mass-to-light ratio in the I band, and obtain < Upsilon_I> <~ 3.56 h, for a Hubble constant of 100 h km s^-1 Mpc^-1. We discuss this result and its limitations in relation to other independent determinations of Upsilon_I. We also define a dimensionless form of the Tully-Fisher relation, and use it to derive a value of the baryon fraction in disc galaxies; the median value is m_d = 0.084 (Upsilon_I3.56 h). Assuming that the gas fraction in galactic haloes is at most as large as that in clusters, we also conclude that < Upsilon_I> <~ 2.56 h^-1/2.
Mao Shude
Mo Hou-Jun
Syer Dave
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