http://arxiv.org/abs/1611.04579
We describe the kinematics of circumgalactic gas near the galactic plane, combining new measurements of galaxy rotation curves and spectroscopy of background quasars. All 15 sightlines have low azimuthal angles, so any extended galactic disks will produce intervening absorption. We find that Mg II systems co-rotate with the galactic disks; their Doppler shifts share the same sign. Rotation of thin, circumgalactic disks cannot, however, explain the broad velocity widths of the Mg II systems. Combining radial inflow with circular orbits offers a successful description of the circumgalactic kinematics. This interpretation implies that circumgalactic gas feeds the disk, thereby prolonging star formation. An Appendix describes the addition of tangential and radial gas flows and illustrates how the sign of the disk inclination produces testable differences in the projected line-of-sight velocity range.
S. Ho, C. Martin, G. Kacprzak, et. al.
Tue, 15 Nov 16
9/86
Comments: 25 pages, 11 figures. Submitted to ApJ
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