THE DISTRIBUTION OF DARK MATTER OVER THREE DECADES IN RADIUS IN THE LENSING CLUSTER ABELL 611

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2009 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/706/2/1078· OSTI ID:21378106

Newman, Andrew B; Ellis, Richard S ^[1]; Treu, Tommaso; Marshall, Philip J ^[2]; Sand, David J ^[3]; Richard, Johan ^[4]; Capak, Peter ^[5]; Miyazaki, Satoshi ^[6]

---

1. Department of Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)
2. Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9530 (United States)
3. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)
4. Department of Physics, University of Durham, DH1 3LE (United Kingdom)
5. Spitzer Science Center, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)
6. National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan)

We present a detailed analysis of the baryonic and dark matter distribution in the lensing cluster Abell 611 (z = 0.288), with the goal of determining the dark matter profile over an unprecedented range of cluster-centric distance. By combining three complementary probes of the mass distribution, weak lensing from multi-color Subaru imaging, strong lensing constraints based on the identification of multiply imaged sources in Hubble Space Telescope images, and resolved stellar velocity dispersion measures for the brightest cluster galaxy secured using the Keck telescope, we extend the methodology for separating the dark and baryonic mass components introduced by Sand et al. Our resulting dark matter profile samples the cluster from approx3 kpc to 3.25 Mpc, thereby providing an excellent basis for comparisons with recent numerical models. We demonstrate that only by combining our three observational techniques can degeneracies in constraining the form of the dark matter profile be broken on scales crucial for detailed comparisons with numerical simulations. Our analysis reveals that a simple Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) profile is an unacceptable fit to our data. We confirm earlier claims based on less extensive analyses of other clusters that the inner profile of the dark matter profile deviates significantly from the NFW form and find a inner logarithmic slope beta flatter than 0.3 (68%; where rho{sub DM} propor to r{sup -b}eta at small radii). In order to reconcile our data with cluster formation in a LAMBDACDM cosmology, we speculate that it may be necessary to revise our understanding of the nature of baryon-dark matter interactions in cluster cores. Comprehensive weak and strong lensing data, when coupled with kinematic information on the brightest cluster galaxy, can readily be applied to a larger sample of clusters to test the universality of these results.

• OSTI ID: 21378106
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 706, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/706/2/1078; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
BARYONS
COLOR
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COSMOLOGY
GALAXIES
GALAXY CLUSTERS
MASS DISTRIBUTION
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
TELESCOPES
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
HADRONS
MATTER
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SIMULATION
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION