Distribution of Phantom Dark Matter in Dwarf Spheroidals

TL;DR

This paper models the distribution of phantom dark matter in dwarf spheroidal galaxies under MOND, considering their shape and external gravitational influences, predicting observable features that could test the theory.

Contribution

It provides a detailed prediction of phantom dark matter distribution in dwarf galaxies using axisymmetric models and external field effects within MOND, which can be tested observationally.

Findings

Offset of phantom dark matter in external field dominated dwarfs (~0.1-0.2 kpc)

Disturbed distribution with spikes where internal and external fields cancel

External field from large-scale structure has minor effect

Abstract

We derive the distribution of the phantom dark matter in the eight classical dwarf galaxies surrounding the Milky Way, under the assumption that modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) is the correct theory of gravity. According to their observed shape, we model the dwarfs as axisymmetric systems, rather than spherical systems, as usually assumed. In addition, as required by the assumption of the MOND framework, we realistically include the external gravitational field of the Milky Way and of the large-scale structure beyond the Local Group. For the dwarfs where the external field dominates over the internal gravitational field, the phantom dark matter has, from the star distribution, an offset of ~0.1-0.2 kpc, depending on the mass-to-light ratio adopted. This offset is a substantial fraction of the dwarf half-mass radius. For Sculptor and Fornax, where the internal and external gravitational fields are comparable, the phantom dark matter distribution appears disturbed with spikes at the locations where the two fields cancel each other; these features have little connection with the distribution of the stars within the dwarfs. Finally, we find that the external field due to the large-scale structure beyond the Local Group has a very minor effect. The features of the phantom dark matter we find represent a genuine prediction of MOND, and could thus falsify this theory of gravity in the version we adopt here if they are not observationally confirmed.