TESTING YUKAWA-LIKE POTENTIALS FROM f(R)-GRAVITY IN ELLIPTICAL GALAXIES

Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/748/2/87· OSTI ID:22016124

Napolitano, N R ^[1]; Capozziello, S; Capaccioli, M ^[2]; Romanowsky, A J ^[3]; Tortora, C ^[4]

---

1. INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, Salita Moiariello, 16, 80131-Napoli (Italy)
2. Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, Universita di Napoli 'Federico II', Napoli (Italy)
3. UCO/Lick Observatory, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States)
4. Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, Universitaet Zuerich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zuerich (Switzerland)

We present the first analysis of extended stellar kinematics of elliptical galaxies where a Yukawa-like correction to the Newtonian gravitational potential derived from f(R)-gravity is considered as an alternative to dark matter. In this framework, we model long-slit data and planetary nebula data out to 7 R{sub eff} of three galaxies with either decreasing or flat dispersion profiles. We use the corrected Newtonian potential in a dispersion-kurtosis Jeans analysis to account for the mass-anisotropy degeneracy. We find that these modified potentials are able to fit nicely all three elliptical galaxies and the anisotropy distribution is consistent with that estimated if a dark halo is considered. The parameter which measures the 'strength' of the Yukawa-like correction is, on average, smaller than the one found previously in spiral galaxies and correlates both with the scale length of the Yukawa-like term and the orbital anisotropy.

• OSTI ID: 22016124
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 748, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
ANISOTROPY
COSMOLOGY
GALAXIES
GRAVITATION
MASS
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
PLANETARY NEBULAE