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    Fokker-Planck entropic force interpretation of galactic rotation curves

    V. S. Morales-Salgado

    H. Martínez-Huerta*

    P. I. Ramírez-Baca†

    • CEDIP-Cámara de Diputados, H. Congreso de la Unión 66, El Parque, Venustiano Carranza, 15960, Ciudad de México, México and Asociación Mexicana para el Avance de la Ciencia (AMEXAC), Ciudad de México, México

    • Departamento de Física y Matemáticas, Universidad de Monterrey, Morones Prieto 4500, 66238, San Pedro Garza García NL, México

    • Departamento de Física y Matemáticas, Universidad de Monterrey, Morones Prieto 4500, 66238, San Pedro Garza García NL, México

    • *Contact author: humberto.martinezhuerta@udem.edu
    • †Also at School of Engineering and Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Atizapan 52926, Mexico partial work was carried in Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí Campus Pedregal, Av. Parque Chapultepec 1610, Col. Privadas del Pedregal, San Luis Potosí, SLP, 78217, Mexico.

    Phys. Rev. D 113, 123015 – Published 4 June, 2026

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/krnd-5v5k

    Abstract

    We investigate whether the discrepancy between observed galactic rotation curves and those predicted from baryonic matter can be interpreted as the manifestation of an emergent entropic force. Starting from a minimal statistical framework, we derive an effective radial force from a stationary solution of the Fokker-Planck equation under simple and physically motivated assumptions. We confront this Fokker-Planck entropic (FPE) model with high-quality rotation curves from the SPARC database, performing a systematic comparison with standard halo profiles, including Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW), Burkert, and pseudoisothermal models. The FPE model provides fits of equivalent or improved statistical quality compared to traditional profiles, while yielding stellar mass-to-light ratios within physically consistent ranges, in contrast to NFW and Burkert fits that often approach prior limits. Beyond reproducing rotation curves, the model naturally gives rise to strong correlations between its characteristic parameter and global galaxy properties, including the flat rotation velocity and infrared luminosity. These relations are consistent with well-known empirical scaling laws such as the Tully-Fisher relation, suggesting that the proposed framework captures key aspects of the underlying dynamics. Our results indicate that a minimal entropic-force description, grounded in statistical mechanics, can account for galactic rotation curves while simultaneously encoding their scaling relations, offering a complementary and physically motivated perspective to standard dark matter halo interpretations of galaxy rotation curves.

    Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

    Corrections

    1 July, 2026

    Correction: The omission of a statement of support in the Acknowledgments section has been rectified.

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