THE DEGENERACY OF M33 MASS MODELING AND ITS PHYSICAL IMPLICATIONS
Abstract
The Local Group galaxy M33 exhibits a regular spiral structure and is close enough to permit high resolution analysis of its kinematics, making it an ideal candidate for rotation curve studies of its inner regions. Previous studies have claimed the galaxy has a dark matter halo with an Navarro-Frenk-White profile, based on statistical comparisons with a small number of other profiles. We apply a Bayesian method from our previous paper to place the dark matter density profile in the context of a continuous, and more general, parameter space. For a wide range of initial assumptions we find that models with inner log slope γ{sub in} < 0.9 are strongly excluded by the kinematics of the galaxy unless the mass-to-light ratio of the stellar components in the 3.6 μm band satisfies Y{sub 3.6} ≥ 2. Such a high Y{sub 3.6} is inconsistent with current modeling of the stellar population of M33. This suggests that M33 is a galaxy whose dark matter halo has not been significantly modified by feedback. We discuss possible explanations of this result, including ram pressure stripping during earlier interactions with M31.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 22364261
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal Name:
- Astrophysical Journal
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 800; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS; CURRENTS; DENSITY; DIAGRAMS; FEEDBACK; GALACTIC EVOLUTION; GALAXIES; MASS; NONLUMINOUS MATTER; RESOLUTION; ROTATION; SPACE; VISIBLE RADIATION
Citation Formats
Hague, P. R., and Wilkinson, M. I., E-mail: peter.hague@le.ac.uk, E-mail: miw6@le.ac.uk. THE DEGENERACY OF M33 MASS MODELING AND ITS PHYSICAL IMPLICATIONS. United States: N. p., 2015.
Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/800/1/15.
Hague, P. R., & Wilkinson, M. I., E-mail: peter.hague@le.ac.uk, E-mail: miw6@le.ac.uk. THE DEGENERACY OF M33 MASS MODELING AND ITS PHYSICAL IMPLICATIONS. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/800/1/15
Hague, P. R., and Wilkinson, M. I., E-mail: peter.hague@le.ac.uk, E-mail: miw6@le.ac.uk. 2015.
"THE DEGENERACY OF M33 MASS MODELING AND ITS PHYSICAL IMPLICATIONS". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/800/1/15.
@article{osti_22364261,
title = {THE DEGENERACY OF M33 MASS MODELING AND ITS PHYSICAL IMPLICATIONS},
author = {Hague, P. R. and Wilkinson, M. I., E-mail: peter.hague@le.ac.uk, E-mail: miw6@le.ac.uk},
abstractNote = {The Local Group galaxy M33 exhibits a regular spiral structure and is close enough to permit high resolution analysis of its kinematics, making it an ideal candidate for rotation curve studies of its inner regions. Previous studies have claimed the galaxy has a dark matter halo with an Navarro-Frenk-White profile, based on statistical comparisons with a small number of other profiles. We apply a Bayesian method from our previous paper to place the dark matter density profile in the context of a continuous, and more general, parameter space. For a wide range of initial assumptions we find that models with inner log slope γ{sub in} < 0.9 are strongly excluded by the kinematics of the galaxy unless the mass-to-light ratio of the stellar components in the 3.6 μm band satisfies Y{sub 3.6} ≥ 2. Such a high Y{sub 3.6} is inconsistent with current modeling of the stellar population of M33. This suggests that M33 is a galaxy whose dark matter halo has not been significantly modified by feedback. We discuss possible explanations of this result, including ram pressure stripping during earlier interactions with M31.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/800/1/15},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22364261},
journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 1,
volume = 800,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Feb 10 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Tue Feb 10 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}