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Paper: Origin of Galactic Disks
Volume: 275, Disks of Galaxies: Kinematics, Dynamics and Perturbations
Page: 389
Authors: Fall, S. M.
Abstract: This article reviews our understanding of the formation of galactic disks in the standard cosmogonic scenario in which baryons collapse dissipatively in halos that form by the gravitational clustering of non-dissipative dark matter. This scenario accounts remarkably well for the gross properties of galactic disks if they have retained most of the specific angular momentum they acquired by tidal torques. Early simulations, which included only cooling of the gas, indicated that most of the angular momentum of the disks would be transferred to their halos and the agreement with observations would be spoiled. Recent simulations indicate that this angular-momentum problem is less severe and possibly non-existent when heating and stirring of the gas by young stars (feedback) and other effects are included.
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