Through a Smoother Lens: An expected absence of LCDM substructure detections from hydrodynamic and dark matter only simulations

TL;DR

This study compares hydrodynamic and dark matter only simulations to predict the abundance of dark subhalos around galaxies, finding a significant reduction in detectable substructures when baryonic physics are included, impacting observational strategies.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed comparison of substructure predictions from hydrodynamic and dark matter only simulations for lensing, emphasizing the importance of baryonic effects.

Findings

Hydrodynamics reduces subhalo mass function by about a factor of two.

Most lines of sight contain no substructures larger than 10^9 M_sun.

Higher fraction of empty sight lines in full physics simulations (~95%).

Abstract

A fundamental prediction of the cold dark matter cosmology is the existence of a large number of dark subhalos around galaxies, most of which should be entirely devoid of stars. Confirming the existence of dark substructures stands among the most important empirical challenges in modern cosmology: if they are found and quantified with the mass spectrum expected, then this would close the door on a vast array of competing theories. But in order for observational programs of this kind to reach fruition, we need robust predictions. Here we explore substructure predictions for lensing using galaxy lens-like hosts at z=0.2 from the Illustris simulations both in full hydrodynamics and dark matter only. We quantify substructures more massive than ~ 10^9 M_sun, comparable to current lensing detections derived from HST, Keck, and ALMA. The addition of full hydrodynamics reduces the overall subhalo mass function by about a factor of two. Even for the dark matter only runs, most (~ 85%) lines of sight through projected cylinders of size close to an Einstein radius contain no substructures larger than 10^9 M_sun. The fraction of empty sight lines rises to ~ 95% in full physics simulations. This suggests we will likely need hundreds of strong lensing systems suitable for substructure studies, as well as predictions that include the effects of baryon physics on substructure, to properly constrain cosmological models. Fortunately, the field is poised to fulfill these requirements.