Mass Density Slope Research Articles

MaNGA DynPop – II. Global stellar population, gradients, and star-formation histories from integral-field spectroscopy of 10K galaxies: link with galaxy rotation, shape, and total-density gradients

ABSTRACT This is the second paper of the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) Dynamics and stellar Population (DynPop) series, which analyses the global stellar population, radial gradients, and non-parametric star-formation history of ∼10K galaxies from the MaNGA Survey final data release 17 and relates them with dynamical properties of galaxies. We confirm the correlation between the stellar population properties and the stellar velocity dispersion σe, but also find that younger galaxies are more metal-poor at fixed σe. Stellar age, metallicity, and mass-to-light ratio (M*/L) all decrease with increasing galaxy rotation, while their radial gradients become more negative (i.e. lower value at the outskirts). The exception is the slow rotators, which also appear to have significantly negative metallicity gradients, confirming the mass–metallicity gradient correlation. Massive disc galaxies in the green valley, on the $(\sigma _{\rm e},\rm age)$ plane, show the most negative age and metallicity gradients, consistent with their old central bulges surrounded by young star-forming discs and metal-poor gas accretion. Galaxies with high σe, steep total mass-density slope, low dark matter fraction, high M*/L, and high metallicity have the highest star-formation rate at earlier times, and are currently quenched. We also discover a population of low-mass star-forming galaxies with low rotation but physically distinct from the massive slow rotators. A catalogue of these stellar population properties is provided publicly.

The MAGPI Survey: impact of environment on the total internal mass distribution of galaxies in the last 5 Gyr

ABSTRACT We investigate the impact of environment on the internal mass distribution of galaxies using the Middle Ages Galaxy Properties with Integral field spectroscopy (MAGPI) survey. We use 2D resolved stellar kinematics to construct Jeans dynamical models for galaxies at mean redshift z ∼ 0.3, corresponding to a lookback time of 3–4 Gyr. The internal mass distribution for each galaxy is parametrized by the combined mass density slope γ (baryons + dark matter), which is the logarithmic change of density with radius. We use a MAGPI sample of 28 galaxies from low-to-mid density environments and compare to density slopes derived from galaxies in the high density Frontier Fields clusters in the redshift range 0.29 < z < 0.55, corresponding to a lookback time of ∼5 Gyr. We find a median density slope of γ = −2.22 ± 0.05 for the MAGPI sample, which is significantly steeper than the Frontier Fields median slope (γ = −2.00 ± 0.04), implying the cluster galaxies are less centrally concentrated in their mass distribution than MAGPI galaxies. We also compare to the distribution of density slopes from galaxies in ATLAS3D at z ∼ 0, because the sample probes a similar environmental range as MAGPI. The ATLAS3D median total slope is γ = −2.25 ± 0.02, consistent with the MAGPI median. Our results indicate environment plays a role in the internal mass distribution of galaxies, with no evolution of the slope in the last 3–4 Gyr. These results are in agreement with the predictions of cosmological simulations.

Joint lensing–dynamics constraint on the elliptical galaxy mass profile from the largest galaxy–galaxy lens sample

AbstractFrom various lensing and non-lensing observations, the total density profile in elliptical galaxies is well approximated by a power law mass distribution. However, as neither the dark matter nor the baryons individually follow the power law, this observational result has been referred to as the “bulge–halo conspiracy”. We investigate the consistency of this conspiracy with higher precision than previous studies with the largest ever sample of galaxy–galaxy lenses assembled from archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data. By performing lens modelling with power law profiles and combining them with stellar dynamics using the mass-sheet transformation, we can constrain the profile’s deviation from the power law model over a redshift range of 0.1 to 0.8. To uniformly model such a large sample of lens models, we use the automated modelling pipeline dolphin. We also investigate the evolutionary trend of the total mass density slope of the lensing galaxies.

Constraining the multi-scale dark-matter distribution in CASSOWARY 31 with strong gravitational lensing and stellar dynamics

We study the inner structure of the group-scale lens CASSOWARY 31 (CSWA 31) by adopting both strong lensing and dynamical modeling. CSWA 31 is a peculiar lens system. The brightest group galaxy (BGG) is an ultra-massive elliptical galaxy atz = 0.683 with a weighted mean velocity dispersion ofσ = 432 ± 31 km s−1. It is surrounded by group members and several lensed arcs probing up to ≃150 kpc in projection. Our results significantly improve on previous analyses of CSWA 31 thanks to the new HST imaging and MUSE integral-field spectroscopy. From the secure identification of five sets of multiple images and measurements of the spatially resolved stellar kinematics of the BGG, we conduct a detailed analysis of the multi-scale mass distribution using various modeling approaches, in both the single and multiple lens-plane scenarios. Our best-fit mass models reproduce the positions of multiple images and provide robust reconstructions for two background galaxies atz = 1.4869 andz = 2.763. Despite small variations related to the different sets of input constraints, the relative contributions from the BGG and group-scale halo are remarkably consistent in our three reference models, demonstrating the self-consistency between strong lensing analyses based on image position and extended image modeling. We find that the ultra-massive BGG dominates the projected total mass profiles within 20 kpc, while the group-scale halo dominates at larger radii. The total projected mass enclosed withinReff = 27.2 kpc is 1.10−0.04+0.02 × 1013M⊙. We find that CSWA 31 is a peculiar fossil group, strongly dark-matter dominated toward the central region, and with a projected total mass profile similar to higher-mass cluster-scale halos. The total mass-density slope within the effective radius is shallower than isothermal, consistent with previous analyses of early-type galaxies in overdense environments.

Statistical strong lensing

Context.Existing samples of strong lenses have been assembled by giving priority to sample size, but this is often at the cost of a complex selection function. However, with the advent of the next generation of wide-field photometric surveys, it might become possible to identify subsets of the lens population with well-defined selection criteria, trading sample size for completeness.Aims.There are two main advantages of working with a complete sample of lenses. First, such completeness makes possible to recover the properties of the general population of galaxies, of which strong lenses are a biased subset. Second, the relative number of lenses and non-detections can be used to further constrain models of galaxy structure. The present work illustrates how to carry out a statistical strong lensing analysis that takes advantage of these features.Methods.I introduce a general formalism for the statistical analysis of a sample of strong lenses with known selection function, and then test it on simulated data. The simulation consists of a population of 105galaxies with an axisymmetric power-law density profile, a population of background point sources, and a subset of ∼103strong lenses, which form a complete sample above an observational cut.Results.The method allows the user to recover the distribution of the galaxy population in Einstein radius and mass density slope in an unbiased way. The number of non-lenses helps to constrain the model when magnification data are not available.Conclusions.Complete samples of lenses are a powerful asset with which to turn precise strong lensing measurements into accurate statements on the properties of the general galaxy population.

The Central Dark Matter Fraction of Massive Early-Type Galaxies

Dark matter (DM) is predicted to be the dominant mass component in galaxies. In the central region of early-type galaxies it is expected to account for a large amount of the total mass, although the stellar mass should still represent the majority of the mass budget, depending on the stellar initial mass function (IMF). We discuss latest results on the DM fraction and mean DM density for local galaxies and explore their evolution with redshifts in the last 8 Gyr of the cosmic history. We compare these results with expectations from the ΛCDM model and discuss the role of the IMF and galaxy model through the central total mass density slope. We finally present future perspectives offered by next-generation instruments/surveys (Rubin/LSST, Euclid, CSST, WEAVE, 4MOST, and DESI), which will provide the unique chance to measure the DM evolution with time for an unprecedented number of galaxies and constrain their evolutionary scenario.

SEAGLE – III: Towards resolving the mismatch in the dark-matter fraction in early-type galaxies between simulations and observations

ABSTRACT The central dark-matter fraction of galaxies is sensitive to feedback processes during galaxy formation. Strong gravitational lensing has been effective in the precise measurement of the dark-matter fraction inside massive early-type galaxies. Here, we compare the projected dark-matter fraction of early-type galaxies inferred from the SLACS (Sloan Lens ACS Survey) strong-lens survey with those obtained from the Evolution and Assembly of GaLaxies and their Environment (EAGLE), Illustris, and IllustrisTNG hydrodynamical simulations. Previous comparisons with some simulations revealed a large discrepancy, with considerably higher inferred dark-matter fractions – by factors of ≈2–3 – inside half of the effective radius in observed strong-lens galaxies as compared to simulated galaxies. Here, we report good agreement between EAGLE and SLACS for the dark-matter fractions inside both half of the effective radius and the effective radius as a function of the galaxy’s stellar mass, effective radius, and total mass-density slope. However, for IllustrisTNG and Illustris, the dark-matter fractions are lower than observed. This work consistently assumes a Chabrier initial mass function (IMF), which suggests that a different IMF (although not excluded) is not necessary to resolve this mismatch. The differences in the stellar feedback model between EAGLE and Illustris and IllustrisTNG are likely the dominant cause of the difference in their dark-matter fraction and density slope.

Total mass density slopes of early-type galaxies using Jeans dynamical modelling at redshifts 0.29 < z < 0.55

ABSTRACT The change of the total mass density slope, γ, of early-type galaxies through cosmic time is a probe of evolutionary pathways. Hydrodynamical cosmological simulations show that at high redshifts density profiles of early-type galaxies were on average steep (γ ∼ −3). As redshift approaches zero, gas-poor mergers progressively cause the total mass density slope to approach the ‘isothermal’ slope of γ ∼ −2. Simulations therefore predict steep density slopes at high redshifts, with little to no evolution in density slopes below z ∼ 1. Gravitational lensing results in the same redshift range find the opposite, namely a significant trend of shallow density slopes at high redshifts, becoming steeper as redshift approaches zero. Gravitational lensing results indicate a different evolutionary mechanism for early-type galaxies than dry merging, such as continued gas accretion or off-axis mergers. At redshift zero, isothermal solutions are obtained by both simulations and dynamical modelling. This work applies the Jeans dynamical modelling technique to observations of galaxies at intermediate redshifts (0.29 < z < 0.55) in order to derive density slopes to address the tension between observations and simulations. We combine two-dimensional kinematic fields from Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer data with Hubble Space Telescope photometry. The density slopes of 90 early-type galaxies from the Frontier Fields project are presented. The total sample has a median of γ = −2.11 ± 0.03 (standard error), in agreement with dynamical modelling studies at redshift zero. The lack of evolution in total density slopes in the past 4–6 Gyr supports a dry merging model for early-type galaxy evolution.

SEAGLE – II. Constraints on feedback models in galaxy formation from massive early-type strong-lens galaxies

ABSTRACT We use nine different galaxy formation scenarios in ten cosmological simulation boxes from the EAGLE (Evolution and Assembly of GaLaxies and their Environments) suite of Lambda cold dark matter hydrodynamical simulations to assess the impact of feedback mechanisms in galaxy formation and compare these to observed strong gravitational lenses. To compare observations with simulations, we create strong lenses with M* > 1011 M⊙ with the appropriate resolution and noise level, and model them with an elliptical power-law mass model to constrain their total mass density slope. We also obtain the mass–size relation of the simulated lens-galaxy sample. We find significant variation in the total mass density slope at the Einstein radius and in the projected stellar mass–size relation, mainly due to different implementations of stellar and active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback. We find that for lens-selected galaxies, models with either too weak or too strong stellar and/or AGN feedback fail to explain the distribution of observed mass density slopes, with the counter-intuitive trend that increasing the feedback steepens the mass density slope around the Einstein radius (≈3–10 kpc). Models in which stellar feedback becomes inefficient at high gas densities, or weaker AGN feedback with a higher duty cycle, produce strong lenses with total mass density slopes close to isothermal [i.e. −dlog (ρ)/dlog (r) ≈ 2.0] and slope distributions statistically agreeing with observed strong-lens galaxies in Sloan Lens ACS Survey and BOSS (Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey) Emission-Line Lens Survey. Agreement is only slightly worse with the more heterogeneous Strong Lensing Legacy Survey lens-galaxy sample. Observations of strong-lens-selected galaxies thus appear to favour models with relatively weak feedback in massive galaxies.

SDSS-IV MaNGA: stellar population correlates with stellar root-mean-square velocity Vrms gradients or total-density-profile slopes at fixed effective velocity dispersion σe

ABSTRACT Galaxy properties are known to correlate most tightly with the galaxy effective stellar velocity dispersion σe. Here, we look for additional trends at fixed σe using 1339 galaxies (M* ≳ 6 × 109 M⊙) with different morphologies in the MaNGA (DR14) sample with integral-field spectroscopy data. We focus on the gradients (γrms ≡ σ(Re/4)/σe) of the stellar root-mean-square velocity ($V_{\rm rms} \equiv \sqrt{V^2 + \sigma ^2}$), which we show traces the total mass density gradient γtot derived from dynamical models and, more weakly, the bulge fraction. We confirm that γrms increases with σe, age, and metallicity. We additionally find that these correlations still exist at fixed σe, where galaxies with larger γrms are found to be older and more metal-rich. It means that mass density gradients contain information of the stellar population which is not fully accounted for by σe. This result puts an extra constraint on our understanding of galaxy quenching. We compare our results with galaxies in the IllustrisTNG hydrodynamical simulations and find that, at fixed σe, similar trends exist with age, the bulge fraction, and the total mass density slope but, unlike observations, no correlation with metallicity can be detected in the simulations.

The dichotomy of dark matter fraction and total mass density slope of galaxies over five dex in mass

AbstractWe analyse the mass density distribution in the centres of galaxies across five orders of magnitude in mass range. Using high-quality spiral galaxy rotation curves and infrared photometry from SPARC, we conduct a systematic study of their central dark matter (DM) fraction (fDM) and their mass density slope (α), within their effective radius. We show that lower mass spiral galaxies are more DM dominated and have more shallow mass density slopes when compared with more massive galaxies, which have density profiles closer to isothermal. Low-mass (${M_{*}}\lesssim 10^{10}\, {\mathrm{M}_\odot}$) gas-rich spirals span a wide range of fDM values, but systematically lower than in gas-poor systems of similar mass. With increasing galaxy mass, the values of fDM decrease and the density profiles steepen. In the most massive late-type gas-poor galaxies, a possible flattening of these trends is observed. When comparing these results to massive (${M_{*}}\gtrsim 10^{10}\, {\mathrm{M}_\odot}$) elliptical galaxies from SPIDER and to dwarf ellipticals (dEs) from SMACKED, these trends result to be inverted. Hence, the values of both fDM and α, as a function of M*, exhibit a U-shape trend. At a fixed stellar mass, the mass density profiles in dEs are steeper than in spirals. These trends can be understood by stellar feedback from a more prolonged star formation period in spirals, causing a transformation of the initial steep density cusp to a more shallow profile via differential feedback efficiency by supernovae, and by galaxy mergers or AGN feedback in higher mass galaxies.

SHARP – V. Modelling gravitationally lensed radio arcs imaged with global VLBI observations

We present milliarcsecond (mas) angular resolution observations of the gravitationally lensed radio source MG J0751+2716 (at z= 3.2) obtained with global very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) at 1.65 GHz. The background object is highly resolved in the tangential and radial directions, showing evidence of both compact and extended structure across several gravitational arcs that are 200–600 mas in size. By identifying compact sub-components in the multiple images, we constrain the mass distribution of the foreground z = 0.35 gravitational lens using analytic models for the main deflector [power-law elliptical mass model; ρ(r) ∝ r−γ, where γ = 2 corresponds to isothermal] and for the members of the galaxy group. Moreover, our mass models with and without the group find an inner mass-density slope steeper than isothermal for the main lensing galaxy, with γ1 = 2.08 ± 0.02 and γ2 = 2.16 ± 0.02 at the 4.2σ level and 6.8σ level, respectively, at the Einstein radius (b1 = 0.4025 ± 0.0008 and b2 = 0.307 ± 0.002 arcsec, respectively). We find randomly distributed image position residuals of about 3 mas, which are much larger that the measurement errors (40 μas on average). This suggests that at the mas level, the assumption of a smooth mass distribution fails, requiring additional structure in the model. However, given the environment of the lensing galaxy, it is not clear whether this extra mass is in the form of sub-haloes within the lens or along the line of sight, or from a more complex halo for the galaxy group.

Mass density slope of elliptical galaxies from strong lensing and resolved stellar kinematics

We discuss constraints on the mass density distribution (parameterized as $\rho\propto r^{-\gamma}$) in early-type galaxies provided by strong lensing and stellar kinematics data. The constraints come from mass measurements at two `pinch' radii. One `pinch' radius $r_1=2.2 R_{Einst}$ is defined such that the Einstein (i.e. aperture) mass can be converted to the spherical mass almost independently of the mass-model. Another `pinch' radius $r_2=R_{opt}$ is chosen so that the dynamical mass, derived from the line-of-sight velocity dispersion, is least sensitive to the anisotropy of stellar orbits. We verified the performance of this approach on a sample of simulated elliptical galaxies and on a sample of 15 SLACS lens galaxies at $0.01 \leq z \leq 0.35$, which have already been analysed in Barnabe et al. (2011) by the self-consistent joint lensing and kinematic code. For massive simulated galaxies the density slope $\gamma$ is recovered with an accuracy of $\sim 13\%$, unless $r_1$ and $r_2$ happen to be close to each other. For SLACS galaxies, we found good overall agreement with the results of Barnabe et al. (2011) with a sample-averaged slope $\gamma=2.1\pm0.05$. While the two-pinch-radii approach has larger statistical uncertainties, it is much simpler and uses only few arithmetic operations with directly observable quantities.

Structure and Kinematics of Early-Type Galaxies from Integral Field Spectroscopy

Observations of galaxy isophotes, long-slit kinematics, and high-resolution photometry suggested a possible dichotomy between two distinct classes of elliptical galaxies. But these methods are expensive for large galaxy samples. Instead, integral field spectroscopy can efficiently recognize the shape, dynamics, and stellar population of complete samples of early-type galaxies (ETGs). These studies showed that the two main classes, the fast and slow rotators, can be separated using stellar kinematics. I show that there is a dichotomy in the dynamics of the two classes. The slow rotators are weakly triaxial and dominate above [Formula: see text]. Below Mcrit, the structure of fast rotators parallels that of spiral galaxies. There is a smooth sequence along which the age, the metal content, the enhancement in α-elements, and the weight of the stellar initial mass function all increase with the central mass density slope, or bulge mass fraction, while the molecular gas fraction correspondingly decreases. The properties of ETGs on galaxy scaling relations, in particular the [Formula: see text] diagram, and their dependence on environment, indicate two main independent channels for galaxy evolution. Fast-rotator ETGs start as star-forming disks and evolve through a channel dominated by gas accretion, bulge growth, and quenching, whereas slow rotators assemble near the centers of massive halos via intense star formation at high redshift and remain as such for the rest of their evolution via a channel dominated by gas poor mergers. This is consistent with independent studies of the galaxies redshift evolution.

On the density profile of dark matter substructure in gravitational lens galaxies

We consider three extensions of the Navarro, Frenk and White (NFW) profile and investigate the intrinsic degeneracies among the density profile parameters on the gravitational lensing effect of satellite galaxies on highly magnified Einstein rings. In particular, we find that the gravitational imaging technique can be used to exclude specific regions of the considered parameter space, and therefore, models that predict a large number of satellites in those regions. By comparing the lensing degeneracy with the intrinsic density profile degeneracies, we show that theoretical predictions based on fits that are dominated by the density profile at larger radii may significantly over- or underestimate the number of satellites that are detectable with gravitational lensing. Finally, using the previously reported detection of a satellite in the gravitational lens system JVAS B1938+666 as an example, we derive for this detected satellite values of r_max and v_max that are, for each considered profile, consistent within 1sigma with the parameters found for the luminous dwarf satellites of the Milky Way and with a mass density slope gamma < 1.6. We also find that the mass of the satellite within the Einstein radius as measured using gravitational lensing is stable against assumptions on the substructure profile. In the future thanks to the increased angular resolution of very long baseline interferometry at radio wavelengths and of the E-ELT in the optical we will be able to set tighter constraints on the number of allowed substructure profiles.

SHARP - I. A high-resolution multiband view of the infrared Einstein ring of JVAS B1938+666

We present new mass models for the gravitational lens system B1938+666, using multi-wavelength data acquired from Keck adaptive optics (AO) and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations. These models are the first results from the Strong-lensing at High Angular Resolution Program (SHARP), a project designed to study known quadruple-image and Einstein ring lenses using high-resolution imaging, in order to probe their mass distributions in unprecedented detail. Here, we specifically highlight differences between AO- and HST-derived lens models, finding that -- at least when the lens and source galaxies are both bright and red, and the system has a high degree of circular symmetry -- AO-derived models place significantly tighter constraints on model parameters. Using this improved precision, we infer important physical properties about the B1938+666 system, including the mass density slope of the lensing galaxy (gamma = 2.045), the projected dark matter mass fraction within the Einstein radius (M_dark/M_lens = 0.55), and the total magnification factor of the source galaxy (~ 13). Additionally, we measure an upper-limit constraint on luminous substructure (M_V > 16.2), based on the non-detection of bright satellite galaxies in all data sets. Finally, we utilize the improved image resolution of the AO data to reveal the presence of faint arcs outside of the primary Einstein ring. The positions and orientations of these arcs raise the intriguing possibility that B1938+666 has a second source galaxy, located at a more distant redshift. However, future work is needed to verify this hypothesis.

THE SL2S GALAXY-SCALE LENS SAMPLE. II. COSMIC EVOLUTION OF DARK AND LUMINOUS MASS IN EARLY-TYPE GALAXIES

We present a joint gravitational lensing and stellar-dynamical analysis of 11 early-type galaxies (median deflector redshift $\zd=0.5$) from Strong Lenses in the Legacy Survey (SL2S). Using newly measured redshifts and stellar velocity dispersions from Keck spectroscopy with lens models from Paper I, we derive the total mass density slope inside the Einstein radius for each of the 11 lenses. The average total density slope is found to be $<\gamma'>= 2.16^{+0.09}_{-0.09}$ ($\rho_{\rm tot}\propto r^{-\gamma'}$), with an intrinsic scatter of $0.25^{+0.10}_{-0.07}$. We also determine the dark matter fraction for each lens within half the effective radius, and find the average projected dark matter mass fraction to be $0.42^{+0.08}_{-0.08}$ with a scatter of $0.20^{+0.09}_{-0.07}$ for a Salpeter IMF. By combining the SL2S results with those from the Sloan Lens ACS Survey (median $\zd=0.2$) and the Lenses Structure and Dynamics survey (median $\zd=0.8$), we investigate cosmic evolution of $\gamma'$ and find a mild trend $\partial<\gamma'>/\partial\zd = -0.25^{+0.10}_{-0.12}$. This suggests that the total density profile of massive galaxies has become slightly steeper over cosmic time. If this result is confirmed by larger samples, it would indicate that dissipative processes played some role in the growth of massive galaxies since $z\sim1$.

CDM in LSB Galaxies: Toward the Optimal Halo Profile

Low Surface Brightness (LSB) galaxies are dominated by dark matter. High-resolution rotation curves suggest that their total mass-density distributions are dominated by constant density cores rather than the steep and cuspy distributions found in Cold Dark Matter (CDM) simulations. the data are best described by a model with a soft core with an inner power-law mass-density slope α = 0.2 ± 0.2. However no single universal halo profile provides an adequate description of the data. the observed mass profiles appear to be inconsistent with ACDM.

The Hubble Constant from the Gravitational Lens B1608+6561

We present a refined gravitational lens model of the four-image lens system B1608+656 based on new and improved observational constraints: (1) the three independent time delays and flux ratios from Very Large Array observations, (2) the radio-image positions from Very Large Baseline Array observations, (3) the shape of the deconvolved Einstein ring from optical and infrared Hubble Space Telescope images, (4) the extinction-corrected lens-galaxy centroids and structural parameters, and (5) a stellar velocity dispersion, σap = 247 ± 35 km s-1, of the primary lens galaxy (G1), obtained from an echelle spectrum taken with the Keck II Telescope. The lens-mass model consists of two elliptical mass distributions with power-law density profiles and an external shear, totaling 22 free parameters, including the density slopes that are the key parameters for determining the value of H0 from lens time delays. This has required the development of a new lens code that is highly optimized for speed. The minimum-χ2 model reproduces all observations very well, including the stellar velocity dispersion and the shape of the Einstein ring. A combined gravitational lens and stellar dynamical analysis leads to a value of the Hubble constant of H0 = 75 km s- 1 Mpc -1 (68% CL; Ωm = 0.3, ΩΛ = 0.7). The nonlinear error analysis includes correlations between all free parameters, in particular the density slopes of G1 and G2, yielding an accurate determination of the random error on H0. The lens galaxy G1 is ~5 times more massive than the secondary lens galaxy (G2) and has a mass density slope of γ = 2.03 ± 0.03 (68% CL) for ρ ∝ r, very close to isothermal (γ' = 2). After extinction correction, G1 exhibits a smooth surface brightness distribution with an R1/4 profile and no apparent evidence for tidal disruption by interactions with G2. Given the scope of the observational constraints and the gravitational lens models, as well as the careful corrections to the data, we believe this value of H0 to be little affected by known systematic errors (5%).

Simulating observations of dark matter dominated galaxies: towards the optimal halo profile

Low surface brightness galaxies are dominated by dark matter, and their rotation curves thus reflect their dark matter distribution. Recent high-resolution rotation curves suggest that their dark matter mass-density distributions are dominated by a constant-density core. This seems inconsistent with the predictions of cold dark matter (CDM) models which produce haloes with compact density cusps and steep mass-density profiles. However, the observationally determined mass profiles may be affected by non-circular motions, asymmetries and offsets between optical and dynamical centres, all of which tend to lower the observed slopes. Here we determine the impact of each of these effects on a variety of halo models, and we compare the results with observed mass-density profiles. Our simulations suggest that no single systematic effect can reconcile the data with the cuspy CDM haloes. The data are best described by a model with a soft core with an inner power-law mass-density slope a = --0.2 ′ 0.2. However, no single universal halo profile provides a completely adequate description of the data.