scholarly journals Searching For Dark Matter With Gravitational Microlensing: A Report From The MACHO Collaboration

1996 ◽  
Vol 173 ◽  
pp. 209-214
Author(s):  
C.W. Stubbs ◽  
C. Alcock ◽  
R.A. Allsman ◽  
D. Alves ◽  
T.S. Axelrod ◽  
...  

Gravitational microlensing is the most straightforward interpretation of the stellar brightenings that have been observed by our team and other experiments. These data have provided some of the most stringent limits to date on the nature of the Galaxy's dark matter halo. The number of events seen towards the LMC indicate that our Galaxy is not surrounded by a “standard” halo of MACHOs in the mass range of 10–6 to 0.3 solar masses. The observed optical depth towards the Galactic Center is an important constraint on the distribution of mass in the plane of the Galaxy.

2004 ◽  
Vol 220 ◽  
pp. 131-132
Author(s):  
Clarisse Hamadache

The latest results of the Eros2 experiment are presented. the search for gravitational microlensing events toward the Galactic Center and toward the Magellanic Clouds yielded an optical depth τbulge = 0.94 ± 0.29 × 10–6, and a strong limit, combining all Eros analyses, on the composition of the halo. Less than 25% of a standard halo can be composed of MACHOs with a mass range [10–7, 1] M⊙ at the 95% C.L.


1995 ◽  
Vol 74 (15) ◽  
pp. 2867-2871 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Alcock ◽  
R. A. Allsman ◽  
T. S. Axelrod ◽  
D. P. Bennett ◽  
K. H. Cook ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 491 (3) ◽  
pp. 4523-4542 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Freundlich ◽  
Avishai Dekel ◽  
Fangzhou Jiang ◽  
Guy Ishai ◽  
Nicolas Cornuault ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We present a simple model for the response of a dissipationless spherical system to an instantaneous mass change at its centre, describing the formation of flat cores in dark matter haloes and ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) from feedback-driven outflow episodes in a specific mass range. This model generalizes an earlier simplified analysis of an isolated shell into a system with continuous density, velocity, and potential profiles. The response is divided into an instantaneous change of potential at constant velocities due to a given mass-loss or mass-gain, followed by energy-conserving relaxation to a new Jeans equilibrium. The halo profile is modelled by a two-parameter function with a variable inner slope and an analytic potential profile, which enables determining the associated kinetic energy at equilibrium. The model is tested against NIHAO cosmological zoom-in simulations, where it successfully predicts the evolution of the inner dark matter profile between successive snapshots in about 75 per cent of the cases, failing mainly in merger situations. This model provides a simple understanding of the formation of dark matter halo cores and UDGs by supernova-driven outflows, and a useful analytic tool for studying such processes.


1997 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerhardt R. Meurer

AbstractRecent results on NGC 2915, the first blue compact dwarf galaxy to have its mass distribution modelled, are summarised. NGC 2915 is shown to have HI well beyond its detected optical extent. Its rotation curve is well determined and fit with maximum disk mass models. The dark matter halo dominates the mass distribution at nearly all radii, and has a very dense core compared to those of normal galaxies. High-mass star formation energises the HI in the centre of the galaxy, but appears to be maintained in viriai equilibrium with the dark matter halo. The implications of these results are briefly discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 492 (4) ◽  
pp. 5102-5120
Author(s):  
Ryan Leaman ◽  
Tomás Ruiz-Lara ◽  
Andrew A Cole ◽  
Michael A Beasley ◽  
Alina Boecker ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Recent photometric observations revealed a massive, extended (MGC ≳ 105 M⊙; Rh ∼ 14 pc) globular cluster (GC) in the central region (D3D ≲ 100 pc) of the low-mass (M* ∼ 5 × 106 M⊙) dwarf irregular galaxy Pegasus. This massive GC offers a unique opportunity to study star cluster inspiral as a mechanism for building up nuclear star clusters, and the dark matter (DM) density profile of the host galaxy. Here, we present spectroscopic observations indicating that the GC has a systemic velocity of ΔV = 3 ± 8 km s−1 relative to the host galaxy, and an old, metal-poor stellar population. We run a suite of orbital evolution models for a variety of host potentials (cored to cusped) and find that the GC’s observed tidal radius (which is ∼3 times larger than the local Jacobi radius), relaxation time, and relative velocity are consistent with it surviving inspiral from a distance of Dgal ≳ 700 pc (up to the maximum tested value of Dgal = 2000 pc). In successful trials, the GC arrives to the galaxy centre only within the last ∼1.4 ± 1 Gyr. Orbits that arrive in the centre and survive are possible in DM haloes of nearly all shapes, however to satisfy the GC’s structural constraints a galaxy DM halo with mass MDM ≃ 6 ± 2 × 109 M⊙, concentration c ≃ 13.7 ± 0.6, and an inner slope to the DM density profile of −0.9 ≤ γ ≤ −0.5 is preferred. The gas densities necessary for its creation and survival suggest the GC could have formed initially near the dwarf’s centre, but then was quickly relocated to the outskirts where the weaker tidal field permitted an increased size and relaxation time – with the latter preserving the former during subsequent orbital decay.


2019 ◽  
Vol 485 (3) ◽  
pp. 3296-3316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Wegg ◽  
Ortwin Gerhard ◽  
Marie Bieth

Abstract From a sample of 15651 RR Lyrae with accurate proper motions in Gaia DR2, we measure the azimuthally averaged kinematics of the inner stellar halo between 1.5  and 20  kpc from the Galactic centre. We find that their kinematics are strongly radially anisotropic, and their velocity ellipsoid nearly spherically aligned over this volume. Only in the inner regions ${\lesssim } 5\, {\rm kpc}\,$ does the anisotropy significantly fall (but still with β > 0.25) and the velocity ellipsoid tilt towards cylindrical alignment. In the inner regions, our sample of halo stars rotates at up to $50\, {\rm km}\, {\rm s}^{-1}\,$, which may reflect the early history of the Milky Way, although there is also a significant angular momentum exchange with the Galactic bar at these radii. We subsequently apply the Jeans equations to these kinematic measurements in order to non-parametrically infer the azimuthally averaged gravitational acceleration field over this volume, and by removing the contribution from baryonic matter, measure the contribution from dark matter. We find that the gravitational potential of the dark matter is nearly spherical with average flattening $q_\Phi ={1.01 \pm 0.06\, }$ between 5 and 20 kpc, and by fitting parametric ellipsoidal density profiles to the acceleration field, we measure the flattening of the dark matter halo over these radii to be $q_\rho ={1.00 \pm 0.09\, }\!.$


Symmetry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1693
Author(s):  
Asher Yahalom

The general theory of relativity (GR) is symmetric under smooth coordinate transformations, also known as diffeomorphisms. The general coordinate transformation group has a linear subgroup denoted as the Lorentz group of symmetry, which is also maintained in the weak field approximation to GR. The dominant operator in the weak field equation of GR is thus the d’Alembert (wave) operator, which has a retarded potential solution. Galaxies are huge physical systems with dimensions of many tens of thousands of light years. Thus, any change at the galactic center will be noticed at the rim only tens of thousands of years later. Those retardation effects are neglected in the present day galactic modelling used to calculate rotational velocities of matter in the rims of the galaxy and surrounding gas. The significant differences between the predictions of Newtonian instantaneous action at a distance and observed velocities are usually explained by either assuming dark matter or by modifying the laws of gravity (MOND). In this paper, we will show that, by taking general relativity seriously without neglecting retardation effects, one can explain the radial velocities of galactic matter in the M33 galaxy without postulating dark matter. It should be stressed that the current approach does not require that velocities v are high; in fact, the vast majority of galactic bodies (stars, gas) are substantially subluminal—in other words, the ratio of vc≪1. Typical velocities in galaxies are 100 km/s, which makes this ratio 0.001 or smaller. However, one should consider the fact that every gravitational system, even if it is made of subluminal bodies, has a retardation distance, beyond which the retardation effect cannot be neglected. Every natural system, such as stars and galaxies and even galactic clusters, exchanges mass with its environment, for example, the sun loses mass through solar wind and galaxies accrete gas from the intergalactic medium. This means that all natural gravitational systems have a finite retardation distance. The question is thus quantitative: how large is the retardation distance? For the M33 galaxy, the velocity curve indicates that the retardation effects cannot be neglected beyond a certain distance, which was calculated to be roughly 14,000 light years; similar analysis for other galaxies of different types has shown similar results. We demonstrate, using a detailed model, that this does not require a high velocity of gas or stars in or out of the galaxy and is perfectly consistent with the current observational knowledge of galactic and extra galactic material content and dynamics.


2019 ◽  
Vol 488 (4) ◽  
pp. 4801-4815 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fangzhou Jiang ◽  
Avishai Dekel ◽  
Omer Kneller ◽  
Sharon Lapiner ◽  
Daniel Ceverino ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The similarity between the distributions of spins for galaxies (λgal) and for dark-matter haloes (λhalo), indicated both by simulations and observations, is naively interpreted as a one-to-one correlation between the spins of a galaxy and its host halo. This is used to predict galaxy sizes in semi-analytic models via Re ≃ fjλhaloRvir, where Re is the half-mass radius of the galaxy, fj is the angular momentum retention factor, and Rvir is the halo radius. Using two suites of zoom-in cosmological simulations, we find that λgal and the λhalo of its host halo are in fact barely correlated, especially at z ≥ 1, in line with previous indications. Since the spins of baryons and dark matter are correlated at accretion into Rvir, the null correlation in the end reflects an anticorrelation between fj and λhalo, which can arise from mergers and a ‘wet compaction’ phase that many high-redshift galaxies undergo. It may also reflect that unrepresentative small fractions of baryons are tapped to the galaxies. The galaxy spin is better correlated with the spin of the inner halo, but this largely reflects the effect of the baryons on the halo. While λhalo is not a useful predictor for Re, our simulations reproduce a general relation of the form of Re = ARvir, in agreement with observational estimates. We find that the relation becomes tighter with A = 0.02(c/10)−0.7, where c is the halo concentration, which in turn introduces a dependence on mass and redshift.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (S353) ◽  
pp. 96-100
Author(s):  
Kohei Hattori ◽  
Monica Valluri

AbstractA recently discovered young, high-velocity giant star J01020100-7122208 is a good candidate of hypervelocity star ejected from the Galactic center, although it has a bound orbit. If we assume that this star was ejected from the Galactic center, it can be used to constrain the Galactic potential, because the deviation of its orbit from a purely radial orbit informs us of the torque that this star has received. Based on this assumption, we estimate the flattening of the Galactic dark matter halo by using the Gaia DR2 data and the circular velocity data. Our Bayesian analysis shows that the orbit of J01020100-7122208 favors a prolate halo within ~ 10 kpc from the Galactic center. The posterior distribution of the density flattening q shows a broad distribution at q ≳ 1 and peaks at q ≃ 1.5. Also, 98.5% of the posterior distribution is located at q > 1, highly disfavoring an oblate halo.


2020 ◽  
Vol 496 (3) ◽  
pp. 3169-3181
Author(s):  
Makoto Ando ◽  
Kazuhiro Shimasaku ◽  
Rieko Momose

ABSTRACT A proto-cluster core is the most massive dark matter halo (DMH) in a given proto-cluster. To reveal the galaxy formation in core regions, we search for proto-cluster cores at z ∼ 2 in ${\sim}1.5\, \mathrm{deg}^{2}$ of the COSMOS field. Using pairs of massive galaxies [log (M*/M⊙) ≥ 11] as tracers of cores, we find 75 candidate cores, among which 54 per cent are estimated to be real. A clustering analysis finds that these cores have an average DMH mass of $2.6_{-0.8}^{+0.9}\times 10^{13}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$, or $4.0_{-1.5}^{+1.8}\, \times 10^{13} \, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$ after contamination correction. The extended Press–Schechter model shows that their descendant mass at z = 0 is consistent with Fornax-like or Virgo-like clusters. Moreover, using the IllustrisTNG simulation, we confirm that pairs of massive galaxies are good tracers of DMHs massive enough to be regarded as proto-cluster cores. We then derive the stellar mass function (SMF) and the quiescent fraction for member galaxies of the 75 candidate cores. We find that the core galaxies have a more top-heavy SMF than field galaxies at the same redshift, showing an excess at log (M*/M⊙) ≳ 10.5. The quiescent fraction, $0.17_{-0.04}^{+0.04}$ in the mass range 9.0 ≤ log (M*/M⊙) ≤ 11.0, is about three times higher than that of field counterparts, giving an environmental quenching efficiency of $0.13_{-0.04}^{+0.04}$. These results suggest that stellar mass assembly and quenching are accelerated as early as z ∼ 2 in proto-cluster cores.


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