2001/06/04 by R. J. Thacker, H. M. P. Couchman · 3 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/321739
4 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letters
arxiv created 2001/06/04 · openalex publication_date 2001/07/01 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
We present a smoothed particle hydrodynamic simulation that reproduces a galaxy that is a moderate facsimile of those observed. The primary failing point of previous simulations of disk formation, namely, excessive transport of angular momentum from gas to dark matter, is ameliorated by the inclusion of a supernova feedback algorithm that allows energy to persist in the model interstellar medium for a period corresponding to the lifetime of stellar associations. The inclusion of feedback leads to a disk at a redshift z = 0.52, with a specific angular momentum content within 10% of the value required to fit observations. An exponential fit to the disk baryon surface density gives a scale length within 17% of the theoretical value. Runs without feedback, with or without star formation, exhibit the drastic angular momentum transport observed elsewhere.