Dynamical effects of dark matter in systems of galaxies

Abstract

SeveralN-body experiments were performed in order to simulate the dynamical behaviour of systems of galaxies gravitationally dominated by a massive dark background. We discuss mass estimates from the dynamics of the luminous component (M VT) under the influence of such a background, assuming a constant dark/luminous mass ratio (M D/M L) and plausible physical conditions. We extend in this way previous studies (Smith, 1980, 1984) about the dependence ofM VT on the relative distributions of dark and luminous matter (Limber, 1959). We found that the observed ratio of the virial theorem mass to luminosity (M VT/L) in systems of galaxies of different sizes could be the result of different stages of their post-virialisation evolution as was previously suggested by White and Rees (1978) and Barnes (1983). This evolution is mainly the result of the dynamical friction that dark matter exerts on the luminous component. Thus our results give support to the idea that compact groups of galaxies are dynamically more evolved than large clusters, which is expected from the ‘hierarchical clustering’ picture for the formation of such structures.