The Dark Halo - Spheroid Conspiracy and the Origin of Elliptical Galaxies

TL;DR

This study shows that the total density profiles of elliptical galaxies naturally evolve toward an isothermal slope of approximately -2 due to their merger histories, regardless of initial conditions.

Contribution

It demonstrates that flat velocity dispersion profiles and a universal density slope of -2 are natural outcomes of galaxy formation through mergers, supported by simulations.

Findings

Density profiles of ellipticals are close to isothermal with gamma ~ -2.

Gas content influences the steepness of the density slope during mergers.

Merger events tend to evolve the slope toward gamma ~ -2, acting as an attractor.

Abstract

Dynamical modeling and strong lensing data indicate that the total density profiles of early-type galaxies are close to isothermal, i.e., rho_tot ~ r^gamma with gamma approx -2. To understand the origin of this universal slope we study a set of simulated spheroids formed in isolated binary mergers as well as the formation within the cosmological framework. The total stellar plus dark matter density profiles can always be described by a power law with an index of gamma approx -2.1 with a tendency toward steeper slopes for more compact, lower-mass ellipticals. In the binary mergers the amount of gas involved in the merger determines the precise steepness of the slope. This agrees with results from the cosmological simulations where ellipticals with steeper slopes have a higher fraction of stars formed in situ. Each gas-poor merger event evolves the slope toward gamma ~ -2, once this slope is reached further merger events do not change it anymore. All our ellipticals have flat intrinsic combined stellar and dark matter velocity dispersion profiles. We conclude that flat velocity dispersion profiles and total density distributions with a slope of gamma ~ -2 for the combined system of stars and dark matter act as a natural attractor. The variety of complex formation histories as present in cosmological simulations, including major as well as minor merger events, is essential to generate the full range of observed density slopes seen for present-day elliptical galaxies.