Cosmic clocks: A Tight Radius - Velocity Relationship for HI-Selected
  Galaxies
  HI-Selected galaxies obey a linear relationship between their maximum
detected radius Rmax and rotational velocity. This result covers measurements
in the optical, ultraviolet, and HI emission in galaxies spanning a factor of
30 in size and velocity, from small dwarf irregulars to the largest spirals.
Hence, galaxies behave as clocks, rotating once a Gyr at the very outskirts of
their discs. Observations of a large optically-selected sample are consistent,
implying this relationship is generic to disc galaxies in the low redshift
Universe. A linear RV relationship is expected from simple models of galaxy
formation and evolution. The total mass within Rmax has collapsed by a factor
of 37 compared to the present mean density of the Universe. Adopting standard
assumptions we find a mean halo spin parameter lambda in the range 0.020 to
0.035. The dispersion in lambda, 0.16 dex, is smaller than expected from
simulations. This may be due to the biases in our selection of disc galaxies
rather than all halos. The estimated mass densities of stars and atomic gas at
Rmax are similar (~0.5 Msun/pc^2) indicating outer discs are highly evolved.
The gas consumption and stellar population build time-scales are hundreds of
Gyr, hence star formation is not driving the current evolution of outer discs.
The estimated ratio between Rmax and disc scale length is consistent with
long-standing predictions from monolithic collapse models. Hence, it remains
unclear whether disc extent results from continual accretion, a rapid initial
collapse, secular evolution or a combination thereof.
