THE DENSITY PROFILES OF MASSIVE, RELAXED GALAXY CLUSTERS. II. SEPARATING LUMINOUS AND DARK MATTER IN CLUSTER CORES

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 2013 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/765/1/25· OSTI ID:22167642

Newman, Andrew B.; Ellis, Richard S. ^[1]; Treu, Tommaso

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1. Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, MS 249-17, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

We present stellar and dark matter (DM) density profiles for a sample of seven massive, relaxed galaxy clusters derived from strong and weak gravitational lensing and resolved stellar kinematic observations within the centrally located brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs). In Paper I of the series, we demonstrated that the total density profile derived from these data, which span three decades in radius, is consistent with numerical DM-only simulations at radii {approx}> 5-10 kpc, despite the significant contribution of stellar material in the core. Here, we decompose the inner mass profiles of these clusters into stellar and dark components. Parameterizing the DM density profile as a power law {rho}{sub DM}{proportional_to}r {sup -{beta}} on small scales, we find a mean slope ({beta}) = 0.50 {+-} 0.10(random){sup +0.14} {sub -0.13}(systematic). Alternatively, cored Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) profiles with (log r {sub core}/kpc) = 1.14 {+-} 0.13{sup +0.14} {sub -0.22} provide an equally good description. These density profiles are significantly shallower than canonical NFW models at radii {approx}< 30 kpc, comparable to the effective radii of the BCGs. The inner DM profile is correlated with the distribution of stars in the BCG, suggesting a connection between the inner halo and the assembly of stars in the central galaxy. The stellar mass-to-light ratio inferred from lensing and stellar dynamics is consistent with that inferred using stellar population synthesis models if a Salpeter initial mass function is adopted. We compare these results to theories describing the interaction between baryons and DM in cluster cores, including adiabatic contraction models and the possible effects of galaxy mergers and active galactic nucleus feedback, and evaluate possible signatures of alternative DM candidates.

• OSTI ID: 22167642
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 765; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ASTRONOMY
ASTROPHYSICS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DENSITY
GALAXIES
GALAXY CLUSTERS
GRAVITATIONAL LENSES
MASS
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
STARS
VISIBLE RADIATION