Halo Scale Predictions of Symmetron Modified Gravity

TL;DR

This paper predicts the behavior of symmetron modified gravity near dark matter halos, compares it with other screening mechanisms, and explores environmental effects on satellite halos, providing insights for observational tests.

Contribution

It introduces detailed predictions of symmetron gravity effects around realistic halos and compares screening mechanisms, highlighting observational differences and environmental influences.

Findings

Symmetron fifth force predictions around NFW halos

Differences between Vainshtein, Chameleon, and Symmetron screening

Environmental 'blanket screening' effects on satellites

Abstract

We offer predictions of symmetron modified gravity in the neighborhood of realistic dark matter halos. The predictions for the fifth force are obtained by solving the nonlinear symmetron equation of motion in the spherical NFW approximation. In addition, we compare the three major known screening mechanisms: Vainshtein, Chameleon, and Symmetron around such dark matter sources, emphasizing the significant differences between them and highlighting observational tests which exploit these differences. Finally, we demonstrate the host halo environmental screening effect ("blanket screening") on smaller satellite halos by solving for the modified forces around a density profile which is the sum of satellite and approximate host components.