On the local dark matter density

TL;DR

This paper refutes a previous claim of low local dark matter density by showing that the earlier analysis was based on an implausible assumption, and provides a robust estimate consistent with standard values.

Contribution

It corrects a prior analysis by replacing an invalid assumption with data-supported ones, leading to a reliable measurement of local dark matter density.

Findings

The local dark matter density is approximately 0.008 Msun/pc^3.

The previous low-density claim was based on an incorrect assumption.

The data supports a flat circular velocity curve in the mid-plane.

Abstract

An analysis of the kinematics of 412 stars at 1-4 kpc from the Galactic mid-plane by Moni Bidin et al. (2012) has claimed to derive a local density of dark matter that is an order of magnitude below standard expectations. We show that this result is incorrect and that it arises from the assumption that the mean azimuthal velocity of the stellar tracers is independent of Galactocentric radius at all heights. We substitute the assumption, supported by data, that the circular speed is independent of radius in the mid-plane. We demonstrate that the assumption of constant mean azimuthal velocity is implausible by showing that it requires the circular velocity to drop more steeply than allowed by any plausible mass model, with or without dark matter, at large heights above the mid-plane. Using the approximation that the circular velocity curve is flat in the mid-plane, we find that the data imply a local dark-matter density of 0.008 +/- 0.003 Msun/pc^3 = 0.3 +/- 0.1 GeV/cm3, fully consistent with standard estimates of this quantity. This is the most robust direct measurement of the local dark-matter density to date.