The Disk Mass Project: breaking the disk-halo degeneracy

Marc A. W. Verheijen; Matthew A. Bershady; Rob A. Swaters; David R. Andersen; Kyle B. Westfall

The Disk Mass Project: breaking the disk-halo degeneracy

Marc A. W. Verheijen, Matthew A. Bershady, Rob A. Swaters, David R. Andersen, Kyle B. Westfall

Astronomy

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Abstract

Little is known about the content and distribution of dark matter in spiral galaxies. To break the degeneracy in galaxy rotation curve decompositions, which allows a wide range of dark matter halo density profiles, an independent measure of the mass surface density of stellar disks is needed. Here, we present our ongoing Disk Mass project, using two custom-built Integral Field Units, to measure the vertical velocity dispersion of stars in ~40 spiral galaxies. This will provide a kinematic measurement of the stellar disk mass required to break the degeneracy, enabling us to determine the dark matter properties in spiral galaxies with unprecedented accuracy. Here we present preliminary results for three galaxies with different central disk surface brightness levels.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	The proceedings of "Island Universes
Subtitle of host publication	Structure and Evolution of Disk Galaxies"
Editors	R. S. DE JONG
Publisher	Springer
Pages	10360
ISBN (Electronic)	78-1-4020-5573-7
ISBN (Print)	978-1-4020-5572-0
Publication status	Published - 1-Oct-2007

Keywords

Astrophysics

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http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2005astro.ph.10360V

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title = "The Disk Mass Project: breaking the disk-halo degeneracy",

abstract = "Little is known about the content and distribution of dark matter in spiral galaxies. To break the degeneracy in galaxy rotation curve decompositions, which allows a wide range of dark matter halo density profiles, an independent measure of the mass surface density of stellar disks is needed. Here, we present our ongoing Disk Mass project, using two custom-built Integral Field Units, to measure the vertical velocity dispersion of stars in ~40 spiral galaxies. This will provide a kinematic measurement of the stellar disk mass required to break the degeneracy, enabling us to determine the dark matter properties in spiral galaxies with unprecedented accuracy. Here we present preliminary results for three galaxies with different central disk surface brightness levels.",

keywords = "Astrophysics",

author = "Verheijen, {Marc A. W.} and Bershady, {Matthew A.} and Swaters, {Rob A.} and Andersen, {David R.} and Westfall, {Kyle B.}",

note = "Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings ",

year = "2007",

month = oct,

day = "1",

language = "English",

isbn = " 978-1-4020-5572-0",

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TY - CHAP

T1 - The Disk Mass Project: breaking the disk-halo degeneracy

AU - Verheijen, Marc A. W.

AU - Bershady, Matthew A.

AU - Swaters, Rob A.

AU - Andersen, David R.

AU - Westfall, Kyle B.

N1 - Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings

PY - 2007/10/1

Y1 - 2007/10/1

N2 - Little is known about the content and distribution of dark matter in spiral galaxies. To break the degeneracy in galaxy rotation curve decompositions, which allows a wide range of dark matter halo density profiles, an independent measure of the mass surface density of stellar disks is needed. Here, we present our ongoing Disk Mass project, using two custom-built Integral Field Units, to measure the vertical velocity dispersion of stars in ~40 spiral galaxies. This will provide a kinematic measurement of the stellar disk mass required to break the degeneracy, enabling us to determine the dark matter properties in spiral galaxies with unprecedented accuracy. Here we present preliminary results for three galaxies with different central disk surface brightness levels.

AB - Little is known about the content and distribution of dark matter in spiral galaxies. To break the degeneracy in galaxy rotation curve decompositions, which allows a wide range of dark matter halo density profiles, an independent measure of the mass surface density of stellar disks is needed. Here, we present our ongoing Disk Mass project, using two custom-built Integral Field Units, to measure the vertical velocity dispersion of stars in ~40 spiral galaxies. This will provide a kinematic measurement of the stellar disk mass required to break the degeneracy, enabling us to determine the dark matter properties in spiral galaxies with unprecedented accuracy. Here we present preliminary results for three galaxies with different central disk surface brightness levels.

KW - Astrophysics

M3 - Chapter

SN - 978-1-4020-5572-0

SP - 10360

BT - The proceedings of "Island Universes

A2 - DE JONG , R. S.

PB - Springer

ER -

The Disk Mass Project: breaking the disk-halo degeneracy

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