Flat Velocity Dispersion Profile Research Articles

Star cluster progenitors are dynamically decoupled from their parent molecular clouds

ABSTRACT The formation of stellar clusters dictates the pace at which galaxies evolve, and solving the question of their formation will undoubtedly lead to a better understanding of the Universe as a whole. While it is well known that star clusters form within parsec-scale overdensities of interstellar molecular gas called clumps, it is, however, unclear whether these clumps represent the high-density tip of a continuous gaseous flow that gradually leads towards the formation of stars, or a transition within the gas physical properties. Here, we present a unique analysis of a sample of 27 infrared dark clouds embedded within 24 individual molecular clouds that combine a large set of observations, allowing us to compute the mass and velocity dispersion profiles of each, from the scale of tens of parsecs down to the scale of tenths of a parsec. These profiles reveal that the vast majority of the clouds, if not all, are consistent with being self-gravitating on all scales, and that the clumps, on parsec-scale, are often dynamically decoupled from their surrounding molecular clouds, exhibiting steeper density profiles (ρ∝r−2) and flat velocity dispersion profiles (σ∝r0), clearly departing from Larson’s relations. These findings suggest that the formation of star clusters correspond to a transition regime within the properties of the self-gravitating molecular gas. We propose that this transition regime is one that corresponds to the gravitational collapse of parsec-scale clumps within otherwise stable molecular clouds.

Ongoing hierarchical massive cluster assembly: The LISCA II structure in the Perseus complex

We report on the identification of a massive (∼105 M⊙) substructured stellar system in the Galactic Perseus complex likely undergoing hierarchical cluster assembly. This system comprises nine star clusters (including the well-known clusters NGC 654 and NGC 663) and an extended and low-density stellar halo. Gaia-DR3 and available spectroscopic data show that all its components are physically consistent in 6D phase-space (position, parallax, and 3D motion), and homogeneous in age (14–44 Myr) and chemical content (half-solar metallicity). In addition, the system’s global stellar density distribution is that of typical star clusters and shows clear evidence of mass segregation. We find that the hierarchical structure is mostly contracting toward the center with a speed of up to ≃4 − 5 km s−1, while the innermost regions expand at a lower rate (about ≃1 km s−1) and are dominated by random motions. Interestingly, this pattern is dominated by the kinematics of massive stars, while low-mass stars (M < 2 M⊙) are characterized by contraction across the entire cluster. Finally, the nine star clusters in the system are all characterized by a relatively flat velocity dispersion profile possibly resulting from ongoing interactions and tidal heating. We show that the observational results are generally consistent with those found in N-body simulations following the cluster violent relaxation phase, strongly suggesting that the system is a massive cluster in the early assembly stages. This is the second structure with these properties identified in our Galaxy and, following the nomenclature of our previous work, we named it LISCA II.

Testing for Dark Matter in the Outskirts of Globular Clusters

Abstract The proper motions of stars in the outskirts of globular clusters are used to estimate cluster velocity dispersion profiles as far as possible within their tidal radii. We use individual color–magnitude diagrams to select high-probability cluster stars for 25 metal-poor globular clusters within 20 kpc of the Sun, 19 of which have substantial numbers of stars at large radii. Of the 19, 11 clusters have a falling velocity dispersion in the 3–6 half-mass radii range, 6 are flat, and 2 plausibly have a rising velocity dispersion. The profiles are all in the range expected from simulated clusters that started at high redshift in a zoom-in cosmological simulation. The 11 clusters with falling velocity dispersion profiles are consistent with no dark matter above the Galactic background. The six clusters with approximately flat velocity dispersion profiles could have local dark matter, but are ambiguous. The two clusters with rising velocity dispersion profiles are consistent with a remnant local dark matter halo, but need membership confirmation and detailed orbital modeling to further test these preliminary results.

Mass–Velocity Dispersion Relation in MaNGA Brightest Cluster Galaxies

Abstract We investigate a kinematic scaling relation between the baryonic mass and the flat velocity dispersion, i.e., mass–velocity dispersion relation (MVDR), from the brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) to the galaxy clusters. In our studies, the baryonic mass of BCGs is mainly estimated by photometry. The velocity dispersion profiles are explored with the integrated field unit by Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA). For the first time, we reveal two significant results with 54 MaNGA BCGs: (1) the flat velocity dispersion profiles; (2) a tight empirical relation on the BCG-cluster scale together with cluster samples, i.e., MVDR, log ( M bar / M ⊙ ) = 4.1 − 0.1 + 0.1 log ( σ los / km s − 1 ) + 1.6 − 0.3 + 0.3 , with a tiny lognormal intrinsic scatter of 10 − 1 + 2 % . This slope is identical to the acceleration relation in galaxy clusters, which is reminiscent of the spiral galaxies, albeit at a larger characteristic acceleration scale. The residuals of the MVDR represent a Gaussian distribution, displaying no correlations with four properties: baryonic mass, scale length, surface density, and redshift. Notably, the MVDR on the BCG-cluster scale provides a strict test, which disfavors the general prediction of the slope of three in the dark matter model.

Mysterious Globular Cluster System of the Peculiar Massive Galaxy M85

Abstract We present a study on the stellar population and kinematics of globular clusters (GCs) in the peculiar galaxy M85. We obtain optical spectra of 89 GCs at 8 kpc < R < 160 kpc using the MMT/Hectospec. We divide them into three groups, blue/green/red GCs (B/G/RGCs), with their (g − i)0 colors. All GC subpopulations have mean ages of about 10 Gyr, but showing differences in metallicities. The BGCs and RGCs are the most metal-poor ([Z/H] ∼ −1.49) and metal-rich ([Z/H] ∼ −0.45), respectively, and the GGCs are in between. We find that the inner GC system exhibits a strong overall rotation that is entirely due to a disklike rotation of the RGC system. The BGC system shows little rotation. The GGCs show kinematic properties clearly distinct among the GC subpopulations, having higher mean velocities than the BGCs and RGCs and being aligned along the major axis of M85. This implies that the GGCs have an origin different from the other GC subpopulations. The rotation-corrected velocity dispersion of the RGC system is much lower than that of the BGC system, indicating the truncation of the red halo of M85. The BGCs have a flat velocity dispersion profile out to R = 67 kpc, reflecting the dark matter extent of M85. Using the velocity dispersion of the BGC system, we estimate the dynamical mass of M85 to be 3.8 × 1012 M ⊙. We infer that M85 has undergone merging events lately, resulting in the peculiar kinematics of the GC system.

A Deep View into the Nucleus of the Sagittarius Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy with MUSE. II. Kinematic Characterization of the Stellar Populations

Abstract The Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy is in an advanced stage of disruption but still hosts its nuclear star cluster (NSC), M54, at its center. In this paper, we present a detailed kinematic characterization of the three stellar populations present in M54: young metal-rich (YMR); intermediate-age metal-rich (IMR); and old metal-poor (OMP), based on the spectra of ∼6500 individual M54 member stars extracted from a large Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE)/Very Large Telescope data set. We find that the OMP population is slightly flattened with a low amount of rotation (∼0.8 km s−1) and with a velocity dispersion that follows a Plummer profile. The YMR population displays a high amount of rotation (∼5 km s−1) and a high degree of flattening, with a lower and flat velocity dispersion profile. The IMR population shows a high but flat velocity dispersion profile, with some degree of rotation (∼2 km s−1). We complement our MUSE data with information from Gaia DR2 and confirm that the stars from the OMP and YMR populations are comoving in 3D space, suggesting that they are dynamically bound. While dynamical evolutionary effects (e.g., energy equipartition) are able to explain the differences in velocity dispersion between the stellar populations, the strong differences in rotation indicate different formation paths for the populations, as supported by an N-body simulation tailored to emulate the YMR–OMP system. This study provides additional evidence for the M54 formation scenario proposed in our previous work, where this NSC formed via GC accretion (OMP) and in situ formation from gas accretion in a rotationally supported disk (YMR).

Exploring the Outskirts of Globular Clusters: The Peculiar Kinematics of NGC 3201

Abstract The outskirts of globular clusters (GCs) simultaneously retain crucial information about their formation mechanism and the properties of their host galaxy. Thanks to the advent of precision astrometry both their morphological and kinematic properties are now accessible. Here we present the first dynamical study of the outskirts of the retrograde GC NGC 3201 until twice its Jacobi radius (<100 pc), using specifically selected high-quality astrometric data from Gaia DR2. We report the discovery of a stellar overdensity along the southeast/northwest direction that we identify as tidal tails. The GC is characterized globally by radial anisotropy and a hint of isotropy in the outer parts, with an excess of tangential orbits around the lobes corresponding to the tidal tails, in qualitative agreement with an N-body simulation. Moreover, we measure flat velocity dispersion profiles, reaching values of 3.5 ± 0.9 km s−1 until beyond the Jacobi radius. While tidal tails could contribute to such a flattening, this high velocity dispersion value is in disagreement with the expectation from the sole presence of potential escapers. To explain this puzzling observation, we discuss the possibility of an accreted origin of the GC, the presence of a dark matter halo—leftover of its formation at high redshift—and the possible effects of non-Newtonian dynamics. Our study uncovers a new path for the study of GC formation and of the properties of the Milky Way potential in the era of precision astrometry.

The properties of energetically unbound stars in stellar clusters

Several Milky Way star clusters show a roughly flat velocity dispersion profile at large radii, which is not expected from models with a tidal cut-off energy. Possible explanations for this excess velocity include: the effects of a dark matter halo, modified gravity theories and energetically unbound stars inside of clusters. These stars are known as potential escapers (PEs) and can exist indefinitely within clusters which are on circular orbits. Through a series of N-body simulations of star cluster systems, where we vary the galactic potential, orbital eccentricity and stellar mass function, we investigate the properties of the PEs and their effects on the kinematics. We derive a prediction for the scaling of the velocity dispersion at the Jacobi surface due to PEs, as a function of cluster mass, angular velocity of the cluster orbit, and slope of the mass profile of the host galaxy. We see a tentative signal of the mass and orbital velocity dependence in kinematic data of globular clusters from literature. We also find that the fraction of PEs depends sensitively on the galactic mass profile, reaching as high as 40% in the cusp of a Navarro-Frenk-White profile and as the velocity anisotropy also depends on the slope of the galactic mass profile, we conclude that PEs provide an independent way of inferring the properties of the dark matter mass profile at the galactic radius of (globular) clusters in the Gaia era.

Chemistry and kinematics of red supergiant stars in the young massive cluster NGC 2100

We have obtained K-band Multi-Object Spectrograph (KMOS) near-IR spectroscopy for 14 red supergiant stars (RSGs) in the young massive star cluster NGC 2100 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Stellar parameters including metallicity are estimated using the J-band analysis technique, which has been rigorously tested in the Local Universe. We find an average metallicity for NGC 2100 of [Z]=$-$0.43$\pm$0.10 dex, in good agreement with estimates from the literature for the LMC. Comparing our results in NGC 2100 with those for a Galactic cluster (at Solar-like metallicity) with a similar mass and age we find no significant difference in the location of RSGs in the Hertzsprung--Russell diagram. We combine the observed KMOS spectra to form a simulated integrated-light cluster spectrum and show that, by analysing this spectrum as a single RSG, the results are consistent with the average properties of the cluster. Radial velocities are estimated for the targets and the dynamical properties are estimated for the first time within this cluster. The data are consistent with a flat velocity dispersion profile, and with an upper limit of 3.9 km/s, at the 95% confidence level, for the velocity dispersion of the cluster. However, the intrinsic velocity dispersion is unresolved and could, therefore, be significantly smaller than the upper limit reported here. An upper limit on the dynamical mass of the cluster is derived as $M_{dyn}$ $\le$ $15.2\times10^{4}M_{\odot}$ assuming virial equilibrium.

THE DARK HALO—SPHEROID CONSPIRACY AND THE ORIGIN OF ELLIPTICAL GALAXIES

Dynamical modeling and strong lensing data indicate that the total density profiles of early-type galaxies are close to isothermal, i.e., rho_tot ~ r^gamma with gamma approx -2. To understand the origin of this universal slope we study a set of simulated spheroids formed in isolated binary mergers as well as the formation within the cosmological framework. The total stellar plus dark matter density profiles can always be described by a power law with an index of gamma approx -2.1 with a tendency toward steeper slopes for more compact, lower-mass ellipticals. In the binary mergers the amount of gas involved in the merger determines the precise steepness of the slope. This agrees with results from the cosmological simulations where ellipticals with steeper slopes have a higher fraction of stars formed in situ. Each gas-poor merger event evolves the slope toward gamma ~ -2, once this slope is reached further merger events do not change it anymore. All our ellipticals have flat intrinsic combined stellar and dark matter velocity dispersion profiles. We conclude that flat velocity dispersion profiles and total density distributions with a slope of gamma ~ -2 for the combined system of stars and dark matter act as a natural attractor. The variety of complex formation histories as present in cosmological simulations, including major as well as minor merger events, is essential to generate the full range of observed density slopes seen for present-day elliptical galaxies.

Bridging the gap between low- and high-mass dwarf galaxies

While the dark matter content within the most massive giant and smallest dwarf galaxies has been probed -- spanning a range of over one million in mass -- an important observational gap remains for galaxies of intermediate mass. This gap covers K band magnitudes of approximately -16 > M_K > -18 (for which dwarf galaxies have B--K ~ 2). On the high mass side of the gap are dwarf elliptical (dE) galaxies, that are dominated by stars in their inner regions. While the low mass side includes dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies that are dark matter-dominated and ultra compact dwarf (UCD) objects that are star-dominated. Evolutionary pathways across the gap have been suggested but remain largely untested because the `gap' galaxies are faint, making dynamical measurements very challenging. With long exposures on the Keck telescope using the ESI instrument we have succeeded in bridging this gap by measuring the dynamical mass for five dwarf galaxies with M_K ~ -17.5 (M_B ~ --15.5). With the exception of our brightest dwarf galaxy, they possess relatively flat velocity dispersion profiles of around 20 km/s. By examining their 2D scaling relations and 3D fundamental manifold, we found that the sizes and velocity dispersions of these gap galaxies reveal continuous trends from dE to dSph galaxies. We conclude that low-luminosity dwarf elliptical galaxies are dominated by stars, not by dark matter, within their half light radii. This finding can be understood if internal feedback processes are operating most efficiently in gap galaxies, gravitationally heating the centrally-located dark matter to larger radii. Whereas external environmental processes, which can strip away stars, have a greater influence on dSph galaxies resulting in their higher dark matter fractions. Abridged.

PATTERN SPEEDS OF BARS AND SPIRAL ARMS FROM Hα VELOCITY FIELDS

We have applied the Tremaine-Weinberg method to 10 late-type barred spiral galaxies using data cubes, in H-alpha emission, from the GHAFAS and FANTOMM Fabry-Perot spectrometers. We have combined the derived bar (and/or spiral) pattern speeds with angular frequency plots to measure the corotation radii for the bars in these galaxies. We base our results on a combination of this method with a morphological analysis designed to estimate the corotation radius to bar-length ratio using two independent techniques on archival near infrared images, and although we are aware of the limitation of the application of the Tremaine-Weinberg method using ionised gas observations, we find consistently excellent agreement between bar and spiral arm parameters derived using different methods. In general, the corotation radius, measured using the Tremaine-Weinberg method, is closely related to the bar length, measured independently from photometry and consistent with previous studies. Our corotation/bar-length ratios and pattern speed values are in good agreement with general results from numerical simulations of bars. In systems with identified secondary bars, we measure higher H-alpha velocity dispersion in the circumnuclear regions, whereas in all the other galaxies, we detect flat velocity dispersion profiles. The excellent agreement between the Tremaine-Weinberg method results and the morphological analysis and bar parameters in numerical simulations, suggests that although the H-alpha emitting gas does not obey the continuity equation, it can be used to derive the bar pattern speed.

Exploring Halo Substructure with Giant Stars. X. Extended Dark Matter or Tidal Disruption?: The Case for the Leo I Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy

We present a wide-field (4.5 deg^2) photometric and spectroscopic survey of the Leo I dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxy to explore its extended morphology and dynamics. As in previous papers in this series, we take advantage of photometry in the M, T_2, and DDO51 filter system to select LeoI red giant branch star candidates, and, so far, this selection technique has proven 100% reliable in selecting actual Leo I members among more than 100 M 1.3 times the limiting radius of the fitted, central King profile. The two-dimensional distribution of all similarly-selected Leo I giant candidates is well fitted by a central single-component King profile of limiting radius 13.3 arcmin, but many giant stars are found outside this newly derived King limiting radius. The density profile thus shows a break at a major axis radial distance of ~10 arcmin produced by an excess of stars at and beyond the King limiting radius (spectroscopically confirmed to be made of true Leo I members), and primarily along the major axis of the main body of the rather elongated satellite. This spatial configuration, a rather flat velocity dispersion profile and an asymmetric radial velocity (RV) distribution among the Leo I members at large radii together support a picture where Leo I has been tidally disrupted on at least one, but at most two, perigalactic passages of a massive Local Group member. (abridged)

Stellar Kinematics for the Central Spheroid in the Polar Disk Galaxy NGC 4650A

We have obtained high angular resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio spectra of the calcium triplet absorption lines on the photometric axes of the stellar spheroid in the polar disk galaxy NGC 4650A. Along the major axis, the observed rotation and velocity dispersion measurements show the presence of a kinematically decoupled nucleus and a flat velocity dispersion profile. The minor-axis kinematics is determined for the first time: along this direction some rotation is measured, and the velocity dispersion is nearly constant and slightly increases at larger distances from the center. The new high-resolution kinematic data suggest that the stellar component in NGC 4650A resembles a nearly exponential oblate spheroid supported by rotation. The main implications of these results on the previous mass models for NGC 4650A are discussed. Moreover, the new kinematic data set constraints on current models for the formation scenarios of polar ring galaxies, supporting a slow accretion rather than a secondary strong dissipative event.