Galaxy rotation curve in the context of "Vera C. Rubin Observatory"

Modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) is a theory that proposes a modification of Newton's laws to account for observed properties of galaxies. Modifying Newton's law of gravity results in modified gravity, while modifying Newton's second law results in modified inertia. The latter has received little attention compared to the modified gravity version. Its primary motivation is to explain galaxy rotation curves without invoking dark matter, and is one of the most well-known theories of this class.

MOND was developed in 1982 and presented in 1983 by Israeli physicist Mordehai Milgrom. Milgrom noted that galaxy rotation curve data, which seemed to show that galaxies contain more matter than is observed, could also be explained if the gravitational force experienced by a star in the outer regions of a galaxy decays more slowly than predicted by Newton's law of gravity. MOND modifies Newton's laws for extremely small accelerations which are common in galaxies and galaxy clusters. This provides a good fit to galaxy rotation curve data while leaving the dynamics of the Solar System with its strong gravitational field intact. However, the theory predicts that the gravitational field of the galaxy could influence the orbits of Kuiper Belt objects through the external field effect, which is unique to MOND.

In modern models of physical cosmology, a dark matter halo is a basic unit of cosmological structure. It is a hypothetical region that has decoupled from cosmic expansion and contains gravitationally bound matter. A single dark matter halo may contain multiple virialized clumps of dark matter bound together by gravity, known as subhalos. Modern cosmological models, such as ΛCDM, propose that dark matter halos and subhalos may contain galaxies. The dark matter halo of a galaxy envelops the galactic disc and extends well beyond the edge of the visible galaxy. Thought to consist of dark matter, halos have not been observed directly. Their existence is inferred through observations of their effects on the motions of stars and gas in galaxies and gravitational lensing. Dark matter halos play a key role in current models of galaxy formation and evolution. Theories that attempt to explain the nature of dark matter halos with varying degrees of success include cold dark matter (CDM), warm dark matter, and massive compact halo objects (MACHOs).