Dynamical masses of early-type galaxies: a comparison to lensing results and implications for the stellar IMF and the distribution of dark matter

TL;DR

This study compares dynamical and lensing masses of early-type galaxies, revealing that variations in the stellar initial mass function and dark matter distribution are needed to explain observed mass discrepancies and the fundamental plane tilt.

Contribution

It demonstrates the necessity of a variable stellar IMF and dark matter distribution to reconcile dynamical and lensing mass estimates in early-type galaxies.

Findings

Dynamical masses with dark matter halos agree with lensing results.

Mass-to-light ratios increase with galaxy velocity dispersion.

A varying IMF or dark matter distribution explains the fundamental plane tilt.

Abstract

This work aims to study the distribution of luminous and dark matter in Coma early-type galaxies. Dynamical masses obtained under the assumption that mass follows light do not match with the masses of strong gravitational lens systems of similar velocity dispersions. Instead, dynamical fits with dark matter halos are in good agreement with lensing results. We derive mass-to-light ratios of the stellar populations from Lick absorption line indices, reproducing well the observed galaxy colours. Even in dynamical models with dark matter halos the amount of mass that follows the light increases more rapidly with galaxy velocity dispersion than expected for a constant stellar initial mass function (IMF). While galaxies around sigma ~ 200 km/s are consistent with a Kroupa IMF, the same IMF underpredicts luminous dynamical masses of galaxies with sigma ~ 300 km/s by a factor of two and more. A systematic variation of the stellar IMF with galaxy velocity dispersion could explain this trend with a Salpeter IMF for the most massive galaxies. If the IMF is instead constant, then some of the dark matter in high velocity dispersion galaxies must follow a spatial distribution very similar to that of the light. A combination of both, a varying IMF and a component of dark matter that follows the light is possible as well. For a subsample of galaxies with old stellar populations we show that the tilt in the fundamental plane can be explained by systematic variations of the total (stellar + dark) mass inside the effective radius. We tested commonly used mass estimator formulae, finding them accurate at the 20-30% level.