{
  "id": "1207.4189",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2012-07-17T20:00:03.000Z",
  "updated": "2012-07-17T20:00:03.000Z",
  "title": "Angular momentum and galaxy formation revisited",
  "authors": [
    "Aaron J. Romanowsky",
    "S. Michael Fall"
  ],
  "comment": "ApJS, in press, 61 pages, 34 figures, abstract abridged",
  "categories": [
    "astro-ph.CO",
    "astro-ph.GA"
  ],
  "abstract": "Motivated by new kinematic data in the outer parts of early-type galaxies (ETGs), we re-examine angular momentum (AM) in all galaxy types. We present methods for estimating the specific AM j, focusing on ETGs, to derive relations between stellar j_* and mass M_* (after Fall 1983). We perform analyses of 8 galaxies out to ~10 R_e, finding that data at 2 R_e are sufficient to estimate total j_*. Our results contravene suggestions that ellipticals (Es) harbor large reservoirs of hidden j_* from AM transport in major mergers. We carry out a j_*-M_* analysis of literature data for ~100 nearby bright galaxies of all types. The Es and spirals form parallel j_*-M_* tracks, which for spirals is like the Tully-Fisher relation, but for Es derives from a mass-size-rotation conspiracy. The Es contain ~3-4 times less AM than equal-mass spirals. We decompose the spirals into disks+bulges and find similar j_*-M_* trends to spirals and Es overall. The S0s are intermediate, and we propose that morphological types reflect disk/bulge subcomponents following separate j_*-M_* scaling relations -- providing a physical motivation for characterizing galaxies by mass and bulge/disk ratio. Next, we construct idealized cosmological models of AM content, using a priori estimates of dark matter halo spin and mass. We find that the scatter in halo spin cannot explain the spiral/E j_* differences, but the data are matched if the galaxies retained different fractions of initial j (~60% and ~10%). We consider physical mechanisms for j_* and M_* evolution (outflows, stripping, collapse bias, merging), emphasizing that the vector sum of such processes must produce the observed j_*-M_* relations. A combination of early collapse and multiple mergers (major/minor) may account for the trend for Es. More generally, the observed AM variations represent fundamental constraints for any galaxy formation model.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2012-07-17T20:00:03.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "keywords": [
      "galaxy formation",
      "variations represent fundamental constraints",
      "dark matter halo spin",
      "morphological types reflect disk/bulge subcomponents",
      "re-examine angular momentum"
    ],
    "tags": [
      "journal article"
    ],
    "publication": {
      "doi": "10.1088/0067-0049/203/2/17",
      "journal": "The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series",
      "year": 2012,
      "month": "Dec",
      "volume": 203,
      "number": 2,
      "pages": 17
    },
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 61,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable",
      "inspire": 1122909,
      "adsabs": "2012ApJS..203...17R"
    }
  }
}