Dark matter in galaxies

TL;DR

This paper reviews astronomical evidence for dark matter in galaxies, discussing its abundance, distribution, and influence on galactic processes, while highlighting ongoing debates and the lack of direct detection.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of observational evidence and methods used to estimate dark matter in galaxies, emphasizing its well-established presence.

Findings

Dark matter is widely supported by astronomical evidence.

Various observational methods estimate dark matter's mass and distribution.

Dark halos influence intragalactic processes.

Abstract

Dark matter in galaxies, its abundance, and its distribution remain a subject of long-standing discussion, especially in view of the fact that neither dark matter particles nor dark matter bodies have yet been found. Experts' opinions range from a very large number of completely dark galaxies exist to nonbaryonic dark matter does not exist at all in any significant amounts. We discuss astronomical evidence for the existence of dark matter and its connection with visible matter and examine attempts to estimate its mass and distribution in galaxies from photometry, dynamics, gravitational lensing, and other observations (the cosmological aspects of the existence of dark matter are not considered in this review). In our view, the presence of dark matter in and around galaxies is a well-established fact. We conclude with an overview of mechanisms by which a dark halo can influence intragalactic processes.