The outer rotation curve of the Milky Way

Abstract

A straightforward determination of the circular-speed curve vc(R) of the Milky Way suggests that near the Sun, vc starts to rise approximately linearly with R. If this result were correct, the Galactic mass density would have to be independent of radius at R ~> R0. We show that the apparent linear rise in v_c arises naturally if the true circular-speed curve is about constant or gently falling at R0 < R ~< 2 R0, but most tracers that appear to be at R ~> 1.25 R0 are actually concentrated into a ring of radius ~1.6 R0.