Fred Hoyle: Contributions to the Theory of Galaxy Formation

Details Fred Hoyle: Contributions to the Theory of Galaxy Formation Fred Hoyle: Contributions to the Theory of Galaxy Formation

2003-03-28

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0303623v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

11 pages, Latex, 5 figs, CUP in press

Scientific paper

I review two fundamental contributions that Fred Hoyle made to the theory of galaxy formation. Hoyle was the first to propose that protogalaxies acquired their angular momentum via tidal torques from neighbouring perturbations during a period of gravitational instability. To my knowledge, he was also the first to suggest that the masses of galaxies could be explained by the requirement that primordial gas clouds cool radiatively on a suitable timescale. Tidal torques and cooling arguments play a central role in the modern theory of galaxy formation. It is a measure of Hoyle's breadth and inventiveness that he recognised the importance of these processes at such an early stage in the history of the subject.

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