On the Keplerian Rotation Curves of Galaxies
Open Access
- 1 October 1997
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan
- Vol. 49 (5) , 539-545
- https://doi.org/10.1093/pasj/49.5.539
Abstract
We propose a criterion for examining whether or not the uncertainty of the outer rotation curves is sufficiently small to distinguish a Keplerian rotation curve from flat ones. We have applied this criterion to both Keplerian and non-Keplerian rotation curves so far obtained, and investigated their relative fraction. We also studied the minimum extent of the dark halos indicated by non-Keplerian rotation curves using the criterion. We have found that one cannot rule out the possibility that a significant fraction of rotation curves become Keplerian within 10-times the disk scale length. If the Keplerian rotation curves so far observed trace the mass truncation, several galaxies may have rather small halos, the extent of which is not larger than twice that of the optical disk.Keywords
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