The Role of Inner Halo Angular Momentum (Spin) in Shaping Dark Matter Bars in Milky Way Analogs

TL;DR

This study investigates how the initial angular momentum (spin) of dark matter halos influences the formation and evolution of dark matter bars in Milky Way-like galaxies using N-body simulations.

Contribution

It reveals the dependence of dark matter bar characteristics on the initial halo spin parameter, a novel insight into galaxy evolution dynamics.

Findings

Dark matter bar strength increases with halo spin.

Stellar bar buckling significantly impacts dark matter bar development.

Dark matter halo spin affects the long-term evolution of dark matter bars.

Abstract

Studies of galactic bars have primarily focused on stellar bars, since they can be directly observed through ultraviolet to infrared wavebands. Cosmological as well as idealised simulations reveal that the dark matter (DM) haloes interact with baryonic matter, primarily the stellar bars, dynamically by means of the exchange of angular momentum. In these simulations, the spherical DM halo dynamically responds to interaction with the stellar bar by reshaping its orbital structure in the proximity of the stellar bar, forming a bar-like configuration, called as the Dark Matter (DM) bar. Using N-body simulations of Milky Way analogs we discuss the role of inner halo angular momentum, measured as halo spin parameter {\lambda} of the dark matter halo, on formation and evolutionary characteristics of the DM bars. Our systematic study involves haloes with initial spin configurations ranging from {\lambda} = 0 to 0.1. The result conveys that DM bar formation and its characteristics are extensively dependent on the initial spin parameter {\lambda} of the DM halo. We demonstrate that the strength of the dark matter bar gradually increases with an increase in halo spin in long-term evolution, with a significant impact of stellar bar buckling on dark matter bar strength. The evolutionary characteristics of the DM bar are strongly influenced by the initial spin of the host halo.