MSA-3D: Rotation Curves and Dark Matter Fractions at z~0.5-1.7 with JWST/NIRSpec

Abstract

We present rotation curves and inner mass distributions for 30 star-forming galaxies at $0.5<z<1.7$, observed with JWST/NIRSpec as part of the MSA-3D Cycle 1 survey. Combining spatially resolved ionised-gas kinematics with JWST/NIRCam imaging, we constrain baryonic and dark matter contributions through forward dynamical modelling for galaxies extending down to stellar masses of $\sim10^{9}M_\odot$. For the 23 galaxies in our primary statistical sample, we find predominantly rotationally supported disks with intrinsic dispersions $σ_0\sim31$-65 km s$^{-1}$ and a wide range of dark matter fractions, $f_{DM}(R_e)\sim0.1$-0.9, with a median of 0.63 and substantial galaxy-to-galaxy scatter of $\sim0.2$ dex. These results are supported by a complementary consistency check using stellar mass maps and SFR-derived gas profiles. Among the 19 galaxies reaching $\gtrsim2R_e$, we identify six rising, six flat, and seven falling rotation curves. These classes define an observed ordering from rotationally dominated, dark-matter-rich disks ($V_{rot}/σ_0\approx4$, $f_{DM}\gtrsim0.7$) to more dispersion-supported systems with centrally concentrated baryonic mass distributions ($V_{rot}/σ_0\approx2$, $f_{DM}\lesssim0.55$). The stellar Tully-Fisher relation lies close to the local relation evolved under the adopted self-similar $Λ$CDM scaling. A simplified seeing-degradation test shifts the inferred normalisation by ~0.2 dex at fixed $V_c$, suggesting that spatial resolution contributes to, but does not fully explain, differences among high-redshift Tully-Fisher measurements. Overall, MSA-3D provides a high-resolution extension of previous surveys toward lower stellar masses, spanning $9.0 < \log(M_\star/M_\odot) < 11.2$, and reinforces that star-forming disks near $z\sim1$ span a broad range of dynamical states and inner mass distributions.