(1) Astronomy Group, Department of Physics, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
Abstract:
Recent data on the Tully–Fisher relation for spiral galaxies are compatible with the traditional correlation for astrophysical
systems, where the angular momentum varies as the square of the mass. Such a correlation is consistent with standard gravitational
theory, but is not explained by it. We here show that the noted relation follows from currently popular accounts of extended
or higher-dimensional gravitational theory. The latter also predicts that the spins of spirals should decay as the universe
expands, which can be tested by extending the Tully–Fisher data to higher redshifts.