view Abstract Citations (64) References (37) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Mapping Spherical Potentials with Discrete Radial Velocities Merritt, David ; Saha, Prasenjit Abstract We present a technique for inferring the gravitational potential {PHI}(r) of a hot stellar system from line-of-sight velocity data, without any assumptions about the relative distribution of dark and luminous components. We overcome the indeterminacy of mass estimates based on line-of-sight velocity dispersions by fitting the full distribution of radial velocities. The phase-space distribution function f(E,L^2^) of the test sample is recovered as well. Unlike parametric mass estimation methods based on the virial theorem or the core-fitting formula, our technique does not require that the spatial distribution of the test sample bear any relation to that of the matter determining the potential; that is, the mass-to-light ratio may be an arbitrary function of radius. The technique also does not require binning, or the computation of velocity moments. Even for relatively modest samples (N~300), the technique places narrower constraints on the matter distribution than can be inferred from the projected velocity dispersion and number density profiles alone. Strong, model-independent constraints on the form of the potential require somewhat larger samples, of order N = 10^3^ or more. We use our algorithm to infer, in a nearly model-independent way, the distribution of dark matter near the center of the Coma galaxy cluster. We find that the core radius of the dark matter is very unlikely to exceed about 500 kpc (H_0_ = 100) but could be much smaller. The matter distribution at larger radii is poorly constrained. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: May 1993 DOI: 10.1086/172643 Bibcode: 1993ApJ...409...75M Keywords: Celestial Mechanics; Galactic Clusters; Gravitational Fields; Mass To Light Ratios; Radial Velocity; Virial Theorem; Dark Matter; Line Of Sight; Spatial Distribution; Stellar Systems; Astrophysics; CELESTIAL MECHANICS; STELLAR DYNAMICS; GALAXIES: KINEMATICS AND DYNAMICS; TECHNIQUES: RADIAL VELOCITIES full text sources ADS | data products SIMBAD (1)