VARIATIONS IN A UNIVERSAL DARK MATTER PROFILE FOR DWARF SPHEROIDALS

Journal Article · Fri Sep 20 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/775/1/L30· OSTI ID:22215442

Jardel, John R.; Gebhardt, Karl ^[1]

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1. Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station C1400, Austin, TX 78712 (United States)

Using a newly developed modeling technique, we present orbit-based dynamical models of the Carina, Draco, Fornax, Sculptor, and Sextans dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies. These models calculate the dark matter profiles non-parametrically without requiring any assumptions to be made about their profile shapes. By lifting this restriction, we discover a host of dark matter profiles in the dSphs that are different from the typical profiles suggested by both theorists and observers. However, when we scale these profiles appropriately and plot them on a common axis, they appear to follow an approximate r {sup –1} power law with considerable scatter.

• OSTI ID: 22215442
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 775, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
APPROXIMATIONS
GALAXIES
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
ORBITS
SHAPE
SIMULATION
VARIATIONS