Modeling The Structure And Dynamics of Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies with Dark Matter And Tides

TL;DR

This paper uses N-body simulations to demonstrate that simple mass-follows-light models with tidal disruption can accurately reproduce the observed features of the Carina dwarf spheroidal galaxy, challenging previous assumptions.

Contribution

It systematically explores parameter space to show that tidally disrupting MFL models can match dSph observations, highlighting the role of tidal effects in galaxy dynamics.

Findings

MFL models with tidal disruption can reproduce Carina's velocity and density profiles.

Eccentric orbits are consistent with Cold Dark Matter predictions.

Tidal disruption significantly affects observed dSph dynamics at large radii.

Abstract

We report the results of N-body simulations of disrupting satellites aimed at exploring whether the observed features of dSphs can be accounted for with simple, mass-follows-light (MFL) models including tidal disruption. As a test case, we focus on the Carina dwarf Spheroidal (dSph), which presently has the most extensive data at large radius. We find that previous N-body, MFL simulations of dSphs did not sufficiently explore the parameter space of satellite mass, density and orbital shape to find adequate matches to Galactic dSph systems, whereas with a systematic survey of parameter space we are able to find tidally disrupting, MFL satellite models that rather faithfully reproduce Carina's velocity profile, velocity dispersion profile and projected density distribution over its entire sampled radius. The successful MFL model satellites have very eccentric orbits, currently favored by Cold Dark Matter (CDM) models, and central velocity dispersions that still yield an accurate representation of the bound mass and observed central M/L~40 of Carina, despite inflation of the velocity dispersion outside the dSph core by unbound debris. Our survey of parameter space also allows us to address a number of commonly held misperceptions of tidal disruption and its observable effects on dSph structure and dynamics. The simulations suggest that even modest tidal disruption can have a profound effect on the observed dynamics of dSph stars at large radii. Satellites that are well-described by tidally disrupting MFL models could still be fully compatible with L-CDM if for example they represent a later stage in the evolution of luminous subhalos.