On the Angular-Momentum Distribution in the Disks of Spiral Galaxies.

The angular-momentum distributions for eight galaxies (NGC 1084, 2146, 2903, 4258, 5005, 5055, 6503, and 7469) have been obtained from the rotational velocity curves of Burbidge, Burbidge, and Prendergast. In all cases the distributions are identical, with accuracy better than 1 per cent, to the angular-momentum distribution of a uniformly rotating uniform spheroid, except in the central regions where the observational data are ratber uncertain. These results support the following conclusions: (a) that the galaxies in question condensed from uniformly rotating uniform clouds; (b) that during the condensation process there was little turbulent mixing within the main mass of material. Certain parameters appearing in the analysis (e.g., the ellipticity of the galaxy) turn out to have little effect on the results. NGC 5055 has been chosen as an illustrative example in showing this to be the case.