English

Dark-Matter Halo Profiles of a General Cusp/Core with Analytic Velocity and Potential

Astrophysics of Galaxies 2017-04-12 v2

Abstract

We present useful functions for the profiles of dark-matter (DM) haloes with a free inner slope, from cusps to cores, where the profiles of density, mass-velocity and potential are simple analytic expressions. Analytic velocity is obtained by expressing the mean density as a simple functional form, and deriving the local density by differentiation. The function involves four shape parameters, with only two or three free: a concentration parameter cc, inner and outer asymptotic slopes α\alpha and γˉ\bar{\gamma}, and a middle shape parameter β\beta. Analytic expressions for the potential and velocity dispersion exist for γˉ=3\bar{\gamma}=3 and for β\beta a natural number. We match the models to the DM haloes in cosmological simulations, with and without baryons, ranging from steep cusps to flat cores. Excellent fits are obtained with three free parameters (cc, α\alpha, γˉ\bar{\gamma}) and β=2\beta=2. For an analytic potential, similar fits are obtained for γˉ=3\bar{\gamma}=3 and β=2\beta=2 with only two free parameters (cc, α\alpha); this is our favorite model. A linear combination of two such profiles, with an additional free concentration parameter, provides excellent fits also for β=1\beta=1, where the expressions are simpler. The fit quality is comparable to non-analytic popular models. An analytic potential is useful for modeling the inner-halo evolution due to gas inflows and outflows, studying environmental effects on the outer halo, and generating halo potentials or initial conditions for simulations. The analytic velocity can quantify simulated and observed rotation curves without numerical integrations.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1610.00916,
  title  = {Dark-Matter Halo Profiles of a General Cusp/Core with Analytic Velocity and Potential},
  author = {Avishai Dekel and Guy Ishai and Aaron A. Dutton and Andrea V. Maccio},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1610.00916},
  year   = {2017}
}

Comments

Minor changes, accepted to MNRAS, 21 pages, 10 figures