Computer Science
Scientific paper
Aug 2000
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2000noao.prop...90s&link_type=abstract
NOAO Proposal ID #2000B-0090
Computer Science
Scientific paper
Little is known about the content and distribution of dark matter in spiral galaxies. Mass models fitted to rotation curves allow a wide range of dark matter contributions, ranging from entirely dominated by dark matter to largely dominated by the stellar disk. To lift this degeneracy, it is essential to obtain independent measurements of the stellar mass-to-light ratios. These can be obtained from stellar velocity dispersions and they uniquely determine the contribution of the stellar disk to the rotation curve. Hence, the amount and distribution of dark matter can also be determined precisely. We propose to measure the stellar velocity dispersion of ten spiral galaxies over a range of Hubble types, luminosities and surface brightnesses. For these galaxies we have already obtained high quality HI and H(alpha) rotation curves, and optical and near-infrared imaging. With the proposed observations we will determine directly the radial distribution of dark matter in these galaxies and compare these to predictions from simulations of galaxy formation. Furthermore, we will determine the relations between dark and luminous properties of these galaxies, address whether the disk or the halo drives the evolution of the galaxies, and measure the change of the stellar mass-to-light ratio with radius. N.B. This is a resubmission of our proposal that was awarded 5.5 nights last semester (March 24 to 29, 2000). Due to bad weather and bright moon, only 4 galaxies could be observed. This is insufficient to investigate the relations between dark and luminous properties. We request time to observe 6 more galaxies to complete this project.
de Jong Roelof
Swaters Rob
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