ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Astron. Space Sci.
Sec. Extragalactic Astronomy
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fspas.2025.1680387
A New Empirical Fit to Galaxy Rotation Curves
Provisionally accepted- Carroll Community College, Westminster, United States
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We present a new empirical model for galaxy rotation curves that introduces a velocity correction term ω, derived from observed stellar motion and anchored to Keplerian baselines. Unlike parametric halo models or modified gravity theories, this approach does not alter Newtonian dynamics or invoke dark matter distributions. Instead, it identifies a repeatable kinematic offset that aligns with observed rotation profiles across a wide range of galaxies. Using SPARC data [1], we demonstrate that this model consistently achieves high-fidelity fits, often outperforming MOND and CDM halo models in RMSE and R-squared metrics without parametric tuning. The method is reproducible, minimally dependent on mass modeling, and offers a streamlined alternative for characterizing galactic dynamics. While the velocity correction ω lacks a definitive physical interpretation, its empirical success invites further exploration. We position this model as a local kinematic tool rather than a cosmological framework, and we welcome dialogue on its implications for galactic structure and gravitational theory. Appendix B presents RMSE and R2 comparisons showing that this method consistently outperforms MOND and CDM halo models across a representative galaxy sample.
Keywords: Galaxy rotation curves, Keplerian velocity, SPARC dataset, Velocity correction factor (ω), Empirical modeling, Rotation curve fitting, Dark matter alternatives, MOND
Received: 05 Aug 2025; Accepted: 10 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Flynn and Cannaliato. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: David C. Flynn, dflynn5656@gmail.com
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