Reprinted with kind permission from , 4139 El
Camino Way, Palo Alto, California, USA
For a PDF version of the article, click
here.
ROTATION CURVES OF SPIRAL GALAXIES
Yoshiaki Sofue
Institute
of Astronomy,
University
of Tokyo, Mitaka
Tokyo 181-0015,
Japan
and
Vera Rubin
Department
of Terrestrial Magnetism,
Carnegie
Institution of Wash.
5241 Broad Branch Road, N.W., Washington, DC 20015, USA
Abstract.
Rotation curves of spiral galaxies are the major tool for determining the
distribution of mass in spiral galaxies. They provide fundamental
information for understanding the dynamics, evolution
and formation of spiral galaxies. We describe various methods to derive
rotation curves, and review the results obtained.
We discuss the basic characteristics of observed rotation curves
in relation to various galaxy properties, such as
Hubble type, structure, activity, and environment.
Table of Contents
-
HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION
- THE DATA
- H and Optical Measurements
- HI line
- CO Line
- Maser Lines
- Planetary Nebulae, Fabry-Perot, and Integral Field
Spectrometers
- MEASURING ROTATION VELOCITIES
- Intensity-Weighted-Velocity Method
- Centroid-Velocity and Peak-Intensity-Velocity
Methods
- Envelope-Tracing Method
- Iteration Method
- Absorption Line Velocities
- Dependence on Observational Methods
- CENTRAL ROTATION CURVES
- High Resolution and Dynamic Range
- The Milky Way Center
- Rapidly Rotating Central Components and Massive
Cores
- Massive Black Holes and Circum-nuclear Rotation
- Activity and Rotation Curves
- Resonance Rings
- Nuclear Warp
- Nuclear Counterrotation
- Non-circular Motion in Nuclear Molecular Bar
- DISK ROTATION CURVES
- Statistical Properties of Rotation Curves
- Environmental Effects in Clusters
- Lopsided Position-Velocity Diagrams
- Counterrotating Disks and Other Kinematic
Curiosities
- Rotation of High Redshift Galaxies
- Rotation Velocity as a Fundamental Parameter of
Galaxy Dynamics and Evolution
- HALO ROTATION CURVES AND DARK MATTER: A Brief Mention
- Flat Rotation Curve in the Halo
- Massive Dark Halo
- The Extent of the Milky Way Halo
- Declining Rotation Curves
- GALAXY TYPES AND ROTATION CHARACTERISTICS
- Sa, Sb, Sc Galaxies
- Barred Galaxies
- Low Surface Brightness Galaxies; Dwarf Galaxies
- Large Magellanic Cloud
- Irregular Galaxies: Interacting and Merging
- Polar Ring Galaxies
- THE FUTURE
- REFERENCES
