Galaxy rotation curve in hyperconical universes: a natural relativistic MOND

TL;DR

This paper proposes a modified gravity model based on hyperconical universe embeddings that can explain galaxy rotation curves without dark matter, fitting observational data with only one free parameter.

Contribution

It introduces a new relativistic MOND-like model using hyperconical universe embeddings, providing a local limit to GR compatible with non-standard cosmological metrics.

Findings

Model fits 123 galaxy rotation curves well

Uses only one free parameter in the fit

Provides a potential alternative to dark matter explanations

Abstract

Modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) and similar proposals can (at least partially) explain the excess rotation of galaxies or the equivalent mass-discrepancy acceleration, without (or by reducing) the requirement of dark matter halos. This paper develops a modified gravity model to obtain a local limit to general relativity (GR) compatible with a cosmological metric different from the standard Friedmann--Lema\^{\i}tre--Robertson--Walker metric. Specifically, the paper uses a distorted stereographic projection of hyperconical universes, which are 4D hypersurfaces embedded into 5D Minkowski spacetime. This embedding is a key in the MOND effects found in galactic scales. To adequately describe the mass-discrepancy acceleration relation, the centrifugal force would present a small time-like contribution at large-scale dynamics due to the curvature of the Universe. Therefore, the Lagrangian density is very similar to GR but with subtracting the background curvature (or vacuum energy density) of the perturbed hyperconical metric. Results showed that the proposed model adjusts well to 123 galaxy rotation curves obtained from the Spitzer Photometry and Accurate Rotation Curves database, using only a free parameter.