English

Andromeda XXV -- a dwarf galaxy with a low central dark matter density

Astrophysics of Galaxies 2023-03-29 v1

Abstract

Andromeda (And) XXV has previously been reported as a dwarf spheroidal galaxy (dSph) with little-to-no dark matter. However, the uncertainties on this result were significant. In this study, we double the number of member stars and re-derive the kinematics and mass of And XXV. We find that And XXV has a systemic velocity of νr=107.7±1.0 kms1\nu_\mathrm{r}=-107.7\pm1.0 \mathrm{~km s}^{-1} and a velocity dispersion of σν=4.5±1.0 kms1\sigma_\nu=4.5\pm1.0\mathrm{~km s}^{-1}. With this better constrained velocity dispersion, we derive a mass contained within the half-light radius of M(r<rh)=6.92.8+3.2×106 MM(r< r_\mathrm{h})=6.9^{+3.2}_{-2.8}\times10^6\mathrm{~M}_\odot. This mass corresponds to a mass-to-light ratio of [M/L]rh=3715+17 M/L\mathrm{[M/L]}_\mathrm{r_\mathrm{h}}=37^{+17}_{-15}\mathrm{~M}_\odot/\mathrm{L}_\odot, demonstrating, for the first time, that And XXV has an unambiguous dark matter component. We also measure the metallicity of And XXV to be [Fe/H]=1.9±0.1\mathrm{[Fe/H]}=-1.9\pm0.1 \mathrm{~}dex, which is in agreement with previous results. Finally, we extend the analysis of And XXV to include mass modelling using GravSphere. We find that And XXV has a low central dark matter density, ρDM(150pc)=2.71.6+1.8×107 Mkpc3\rho_\mathrm{DM}(150\mathrm{pc})= 2.7^{+1.8}_{-1.6}\times10^7\mathrm{~M}_\odot\mathrm{kpc}^{-3}, making And XXV a clear outlier when compared to other Local Group (LG) dSphs of the similar stellar mass. In a companion paper, we will explore whether some combination of dark matter cusp-core transformations and/or tides can explain And XXV's low density.

Cite

@article{arxiv.2209.15022,
  title  = {Andromeda XXV -- a dwarf galaxy with a low central dark matter density},
  author = {Emily J. E. Charles and Michelle L. M. Collins and R. Michael Rich and Justin I. Read and Stacy Y. Kim and Rodrigo A. Ibata and Nicolas F. Martin and Scott C. Chapman and Eduardo Balbinot and Daniel R. Weisz},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2209.15022},
  year   = {2023}
}

Comments

13 pages, 8 figures (7 main, 1 appendix). Submitted to MNRAS