Angular Momentum in the Formation of Disk Galaxies

Within the current framework of disk galaxy formation, we discuss the resulted surface-density profiles according to the theoretical angular momentum distributions (AMDs) presented by Bullock et al. [Astrophys. J.555 (2001) 240(B01)] for the ACDM cosmology in both spherical and cylindric coordinates. It is found that the derived surface density distribution of a disk in the outer region is in general similar to an exponential disk for both the theoretical AMDs. In the central region, the results from both the theoretical AMDs are inconsistent with observations whatever the disk bar-instability is taken into account or not. The cylindric form of the theoretical AMD leads to the bar-instability more easily for a give galaxy than that for spherical AMD, which could result in a more massive bulge. After comparing the model predictions with our Milky Way galaxy, we find that the theoretical AMDs predict larger mass fractions of baryons with low angular momentum than the observed ones, which would lead to the disk sizes to be smaller. Two possible processes which could solve the angular momentum problem are discussed.