The case of NGC 5824, a cluster possibly embedded in a dark matter halo

TL;DR

This study investigates whether the globular cluster NGC 5824 is embedded in a dark matter halo by analyzing its extended stellar envelope and density profile, finding results consistent with dark matter influence.

Contribution

The paper provides observational evidence supporting the hypothesis that NGC 5824 may be embedded in a dark matter halo based on its density profile analysis.

Findings

Outer density profile index of ~ -2.6 supports dark matter embedding

Extended symmetric stellar envelope observed up to ~20 arcminutes

Photometric profile matches predictions for dark matter halos

Abstract

The globular cluster NGC 5824 exhibits a diffuse stellar envelope that extends beyond its nominal King tidal radius and symmetrically surrounds the cluster. The origin of these stars and whether they remain gravitationally bound to the cluster center is unclear. A possible explanation is that such clusters are embedded within dark matter halos, which influences their kinematic and photometric properties. Specifically, their outer volume density profile would be characterized by a power law with an index $\gamma > -3$. In this study we assessed this photometric prediction by comparing it to the cluster's observed profile through an analysis of deep $g$-band photometry from MegaCam and DECam, combined with Gaia DR3 proper motions and photometry. We determined star membership using color-magnitude diagrams and proper motion constraints in order to fit King and power-law profiles to the observed profile. Additionally, we analyzed NGC 5824's luminosity function to assess its spatial symmetry and extent. Our results show that NGC 5824 is symmetrically extended to at least $\sim20'$ with an outer surface density profile characterized by a power-law index of $\gamma \sim - 2.6\pm0.1$, which is consistent with the predicted values for a cluster embedded within a dark matter halo. Spectroscopic observations carried out to study the velocity dispersion profile will provide a more definitive answer regarding the dark matter content of NGC 5824.