Galaxies appear simpler than expected

M. J. Disney (), J. D. Romano, D. A. Garcia–Appadoo, A. A. West, J. J. Dalcanton and L. Cortese
Additional contact information
M. J. Disney: School of Physics & Astronomy, Cardiff University, 5 The Parade, Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK
J. D. Romano: School of Physics & Astronomy, Cardiff University, 5 The Parade, Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK
D. A. Garcia–Appadoo: School of Physics & Astronomy, Cardiff University, 5 The Parade, Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK
A. A. West: University of California, 601 Campbell Hall, Berkeley, California 94720-3411, USA
J. J. Dalcanton: Physics-Astronomy Building C309, University of Washington, Box 351580, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
L. Cortese: School of Physics & Astronomy, Cardiff University, 5 The Parade, Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK

Nature, 2008, vol. 455, issue 7216, 1082-1084

Abstract: Galactic structure: a simple answer At first glance a galaxy looks pretty complicated: each contains billions of stars subject to many influences including gravity, rotation and radiation. The hierarchical theory of galaxy formation — currently fashionable — holds that they are assembled from smaller pieces, through many mergers of cold dark matter, and that the properties of an individual galaxy are determined by six independent parameters. Now a survey of 200 individual galaxies suggests that things are simpler than that, and that galactic structure is controlled by one single parameter. Though frustratingly, it is not yet clear which parameter that is. This level of organization is at odds with hierarchical galaxy formation and the predictions of cold dark matter cosmology.

Date: 2008
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DOI: 10.1038/nature07366

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