The missing ultra-faint satellites of the Milky Way

TL;DR

This study combines high-resolution simulations with galaxy formation models to predict the existence of many ultra-faint dwarf galaxies around the Milky Way that are currently undetected.

Contribution

It introduces a novel treatment of tidal stripping and orphan galaxies, predicting a large population of missing ultra-faint dwarfs and their properties.

Findings

Predicted the number of MW satellites should not exceed a few hundred.

Matched the observed satellite mass function at the massive end.

Forecasted a large, undetected population of ultra-faint dwarfs with specific properties.

Abstract

We combine the highest resolution N-body simulation of a $\sim 10^{12}\, M_\odot$ $\Lambda$CDM halo (Aquarius-A) with the {\sc GALFORM} galaxy formation semianalytic model to study the full satellite population expected in a MW-like galaxy. The model assumes that galaxies only form in subhalos whose peak circular velocity exceeds the H-cooling threshold, all of which are well resolved in the simulation. The number of luminous subhalos ever accreted into the main halo is thus well defined, and implies that the total number of MW satellites, down to arbitrarily low luminosity, should not exceed a few hundred. The model tracks satellites even after their halos cease to be resolved ("orphan" galaxies), and includes a novel treatment of dark matter and stellar tidal stripping which takes into account that all $\Lambda$CDM subhalos survive until the present because of their cuspy inner density profiles. After accounting for tides, our results match well the massive end of the observed MW satellite mass function and predict that a large number of ultra-faint dwarfs are missing from the current MW satellite census. The missing UFDs are predicted to avoid the innermost regions of the host, and to have properties that overlap with those of the many ultra-faint compact MW satellites (UFCSs) discovered recently, with properties intermediate between globular clusters and dwarf galaxies. Our results suggest that many UFCS systems are dark matter-dominated dwarfs with velocity dispersions between $1-3$km/s, which have survived disruption because they reside in the dense cusp of $\Lambda$CDM subhalos. UFCSs should have mean densities of order $10^{10}$-$10^{11}\,M_\odot/$kpc$^3$, higher than those of more extended ultra-faint systems. If confirmed, our results would provide support for the cuspy nature of $\Lambda$CDM dark matter halos and for the hydrogen-cooling threshold for galaxy formation.