Noncircular gas velocities and the radial dependence of mass-to-light ratio in NGC 4594 (the Sombrero Galaxy)

Journal Article · Wed Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1989 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/167233· OSTI ID:6068236

Kormendy, J; Westpfahl, D J

The mass distribution of the Sombrero Galaxy, NGC 4594, is calculated in order to investigate the suspicion that the rotational velocity of the galactic gas does not measure the circular velocity in the galaxy. It is shown that the H II rotation velocities are much less than circular in the central 35 arcsec of the galaxy, and that the suspicion is correct. Thus, the H II rotation velocities cannot be used to measure the mass distribution. The absorption-line rotation curve is used to derive the mass distribution, and it is found that the M/L ratio is nearly constant. It is concluded that the visible matter is self-gravitating at least in the central 180 arcsec. 44 references.

• Research Organization: Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, Victoria (Canada)
• OSTI ID: 6068236
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 338
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMIC GASES
RADIAL VELOCITY
GALAXIES
MASS DISTRIBUTION
ABSORPTION SPECTRA
BRIGHTNESS
ELLIPTICAL CONFIGURATION
EMISSION SPECTRA
H2 REGIONS
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
SPIRAL CONFIGURATION
CONFIGURATION
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
DISTRIBUTION
FLUIDS
GASES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SPECTRA
VELOCITY
640105* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Galaxies