Understanding disk galaxy rotation velocities without dark matter contribution--a physical process for MOND?

TL;DR

This paper proposes a physical impact model of gravity that explains galaxy rotation curves without dark matter, linking the acceleration scale to graviton interactions within galactic disks, and potentially explaining MOND phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a graviton impact model that accounts for galaxy rotation curves without dark matter and connects the acceleration scale to graviton mean free path in disks.

Findings

Rotation curves explained without dark matter

Physical process linking acceleration scale to graviton interactions

Application to specific spiral galaxies

Abstract

An impact model of gravity designed to emulate Newton's law of gravitation is applied to the radial acceleration of disk galaxies. Based on this model (Wilhelm et al. 2013), the rotation velocity curves can be understood without the need to postulate any dark matter contribution. The increased acceleration in the plane of the disk is a consequence of multiple interactions of gravitons (called "quadrupoles" in the original paper) and the subsequent propagation in this plane and not in three-dimensional space. The concept provides a physical process that relates the fit parameter of the acceleration scale defined by McGaugh et al. (2016) to the mean free path length of gravitons in the disks of galaxies. It may also explain the modification of the gravitational interaction at low acceleration levels in MOND (Milgrom 1983, 1994, 2015, 2016). Three examples are discussed in some detail: The spiral galaxies NGC 7814, NGC 6503 and M 33.