Paper detail

The visible matter - dark matter coupling

In the inner parts of spiral galaxies, of high or low surface brightness, there is a close correlation between rotation curve shape and light distribution. For any feature in the luminosity profile there is a corresponding feature in the rotation curve and vice versa. This implies that the gravitational potential is strongly correlated with the distribution of luminosity: either the luminous mass dominates or there is a close coupling between luminous and dark matter. In a similar way, the declining rotation curves observed in the outer parts of high luminosity systems are a clear signature of the stellar disk which either dominates or traces the distribution of mass. The notion that the baryons are dynamically important in the centres of galaxies, including LSBs, undermines the whole controversy over the cusps in CDM halos and the comparison with the observations. If the baryons dominate in the central regions of all spirals, including LSBs, how can the CDM profiles be compared with the observations? Alternatively, if the baryons do not dominate but simply trace the DM distribution, why, in systems of comparable luminosity, are some DM halos cuspy (like the light) and others (also like the light) are not?