The Role of Dark Matter in Galactic Dynamics: Insights from Rotation Curves

Abstract

The paper starts by introducing the basic information and findings about dark matter, followed by underscoring of dark matter’s importance in galaxy formation, stability and evolution. The paper also reviews the relationship between galactic dynamics and dark matter and how this relationship, reflected on rotation curves, provide information about dark matter halos. Specifically, the author compares a galaxy’s observed rotation curves and the calculated rotation curve with only visible matter. It demonstrates how the observation of the flatness of the rotation curves at large radii challenges conventional Newtonian mechanics and reveals dark matter halos’ presence. At last, the paper evaluates the use of the findings for further understanding of the universe and the challenges that remained unsolved.