Ultra-faint Dwarf Research Articles

Astronomers track dwarf galaxies to better understand the Milky Way’s make-up and evolution

At the turn of this century, astronomers were confident they understood the Milky Way’s relationship with its galactic neighbors. Our home galaxy is the second-largest member of the Local Group, an assembly of more than 50 galaxies that spans roughly 10 million light-years. Many of the group’s smaller galaxies are satellites of the Milky Way—two of the closest companions are the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). Streams of gas and dust ripped from these dwarf galaxies seemed to show that they had made several trips around the Milky Way, bearing witness to the destruction wrought by our galaxy. By studying the masses and movements of nearby galaxies, astronomers may collect details that rewrite the story of our own galaxy’s evolution. In this combined radio and visible-light image, a ribbon of gas called the Magellanic Stream (pink) stretches halfway around the Milky Way (light-blue band). Nearby galaxies known as Magellanic Clouds appear in the bottom right as white spots. Image courtesy of Nidever, et al. (Montana State University/NOAO), NRAO/AUI/NSF and Meilinger, Leiden-Argentine-Bonn Survey, Parkes Observatory, Westerbork Observatory, Arecibo Observatory. But this neat picture was upended almost a decade ago when researchers used NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope to precisely measure the clouds’ motion. Suddenly, it became clear that the LMC and SMC are actually making their first orbit around the Milky Way. Since then, researchers have been trying to pin down the masses and movements of the clouds, details that could rewrite the story of our own galaxy’s evolution. This year, the European Space Agency (ESA) space telescope Gaia has provided some vital clues in that quest. Gaia found that the LMC itself boasts several ultra-faint dwarf galaxies as satellites, observations that are helping constrain the masses of the cloud and the Milky Way. They also provide strong …

Deep Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam Observations of Milky Way Satellites Columba I and Triangulum II*

Abstract We present deep, wide-field Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam photometry of two recently discovered satellites of the Milky Way (MW): Columba I (Col I) and Triangulum II (Tri II). The color–magnitude diagrams of both objects point to exclusively old and metal-poor stellar populations. We re-derive structural parameters and luminosities of these satellites, and find for Col I and for Tri II, with corresponding half-light radii of pc and pc. The properties of both systems are consistent with observed scaling relations for MW dwarf galaxies. Based on archival data, we derive upper limits on the neutral gas content of these dwarfs, and find that they lack H i, as do the majority of observed satellites within the MW virial radius. Neither satellite shows evidence of tidal stripping in the form of extensions or distortions in matched-filter stellar density maps or surface-density profiles. However, the smaller Tri II system is relatively metal-rich for its luminosity (compared to other MW satellites), possibly because it has been tidally stripped. Through a suite of orbit simulations, we show that Tri II is approaching pericenter of its eccentric orbit, a stage at which tidal debris is unlikely to be seen. In addition, we find that Tri II may be on its first infall into the MW, which helps explain its unique properties among MW dwarfs. Further evidence that Tri II is likely an ultra-faint dwarf comes from its stellar mass function, which is similar to those of other MW dwarfs.

The formation of the Milky Way halo and its dwarf satellites; a NLTE-1D abundance analysis

We present the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) abundances of up to 10 chemical species in a sample of 59 very metal-poor (VMP, −4 ≤ [Fe/H] ≾−2) stars in seven dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) and in the Milky Way (MW) halo. Our results are based on high-resolution spectroscopic datasets and homogeneous and accurate atmospheric parameters determined in Paper I. We show that once the NLTE effects are properly taken into account, all massive galaxies in our sample, that is, the MW halo and the classical dSphs Sculptor, Ursa Minor, Sextans, and Fornax, reveal a similar plateau at [α/Fe] ≃ 0.3 for each of the α-process elements: Mg, Ca, and Ti. We put on a firm ground the evidence for a decline in α/Fe with increasing metallicity in the Boötes I ultra-faint dwarf galaxy (UFD), that is most probably due to the ejecta of type Ia supernovae. For Na/Fe, Na/Mg, and Al/Mg, the MW halo and all dSphs reveal indistinguishable trends with metallicity, suggesting that the processes of Na and Al synthesis are identical in all systems, independent of their mass. The dichotomy in the [Sr/Ba] versus [Ba/H] diagram is observed in the classical dSphs, similarly to the MW halo, calling for two different nucleosynthesis channels for Sr. We show that Sr in the massive galaxies is well correlated with Mg suggesting a strong link to massive stars and that its origin is essentially independent of Ba, for most of the [Ba/H] range. Our three UFDs, that is Boötes I, UMa II, and Leo IV, are depleted in Sr and Ba relative to Fe and Mg, with very similar ratios of [Sr/Mg] ≃−1.3 and [Ba/Mg] ≃−1 on the entire range of their Mg abundances. The subsolar Sr/Ba ratios of Boötes I and UMa II indicate a common r-process origin of their neutron-capture elements. Sculptor remains the classical dSph, in which the evidence for inhomogeneous mixing in the early evolution stage, at [Fe/H] <−2, is the strongest.

Seven hints for primordial black hole dark matter

Seven observations point towards the existence of primordial black holes (PBH), constituting the whole or an important fraction of the dark matter in the Universe: the mass and spin of black holes detected by Advanced LIGO/VIRGO, the detection of micro-lensing events of distant quasars and stars in M31, the non-detection of ultra-faint dwarf satellite galaxies with radius below 15 parsecs, evidences for core galactic dark matter profiles, the correlation between X-ray and infrared cosmic backgrounds, and the existence of super-massive black holes very early in the Universe's history. Some of these hints are newly identified and they are all intriguingly compatible with the re-constructed broad PBH mass distribution from LIGO events, peaking on PBH mass $m_{\rm PBH} \approx 3 M_\odot$ and passing all other constraints on PBH abundances. PBH dark matter also provides a new mechanism to explain the mass-to-light ratios of dwarf galaxies, including the recent detection of a diffuse galaxy not dominated by dark matter. Finally we conjecture that between 0.1% and 1% of the events detected by LIGO will involve a PBH with a mass below the Chandrasekhar mass, which would unambiguously prove the existence of PBH.

Enrichment in r-process Elements from Multiple Distinct Events in the Early Draco Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy*

Abstract The stellar record of elemental abundances in satellite galaxies is important to identify the origin of r-process because such a small stellar system could have hosted a single r-process event, which would distinguish member stars that are formed before and after the event through the evidence of a considerable difference in the abundances of r-process elements, as found in the ultra-faint dwarf galaxy Reticulum II (Ret II). However, the limited mass of these systems prevents us from collecting information from a sufficient number of stars in individual satellites. Hence, it remains unclear whether the discovery of a remarkable r-process enrichment event in Ret II explains the nature of r-process abundances or is an exception. We perform high-resolution spectroscopic measurements of r-process abundances for 12 metal-poor stars in the Draco dwarf galaxy in the metallicity range of . We found that these stars are separated into two groups with r-process abundances differing by one order of magnitude. A group of stars with high abundances of r-process elements was formed by a single r-process event that corresponds to the event evidenced in Ret II. On the other hand, the low r-process abundance group was formed by another sporadic enrichment channel producing far fewer r-process elements, which is clearly identified for the first time. Accordingly, we identified two populations of stars with different r-process abundances, which are built by two r-process events that enriched gases at levels that differ by more than one order of magnitude.

Connecting the First Galaxies with Ultrafaint Dwarfs in the Local Group: Chemical Signatures of Population III Stars

Abstract We investigate the star formation history (SFH) and chemical evolution of isolated analogs of Local Group (LG) ultrafaint dwarf galaxies (UFDs; stellar mass range of ) and gas-rich, low-mass dwarfs (Leo P analogs; stellar mass range of ). We perform a suite of cosmological hydrodynamic zoom-in simulations to follow their evolution from the era of the first generation of stars down to z = 0. We confirm that reionization, combined with supernova (SN) feedback, is primarily responsible for the truncated star formation in UFDs. Specifically, halos with a virial mass of form of stars prior to reionization. Our work further demonstrates the importance of Population III stars, with their intrinsically high yields and the associated external metal enrichment, in producing low-metallicity stars ( ) and carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) stars. We find that UFDs are composite systems, assembled from multiple progenitor halos, some of which hosted only Population II stars formed in environments externally enriched by SNe in neighboring halos, naturally producing extremely low metallicity Population II stars. We illustrate how the simulated chemical enrichment may be used to constrain the SFHs of true observed UFDs. We find that Leo P analogs can form in halos with (z = 0). Such systems are less affected by reionization and continue to form stars until z = 0, causing higher-metallicity tails. Finally, we predict the existence of extremely low metallicity stars in LG UFD galaxies that preserve the pure chemical signatures of Population III nucleosynthesis.

The upper bound on the lowest mass halo

We explore the connection between galaxies and dark matter halos in the Milky Way (MW) and quantify the implications on properties of the dark matter particle and the phenomenology of low-mass galaxy formation. This is done through a probabilistic comparison of the luminosity function of MW dwarf satellite galaxies to models based on two suites of zoom-in simulations. One suite is dark-matter-only while the other includes a disk component, therefore we can quantify the effect of the MW's baryonic disk on our results. We apply numerous Stellar-Mass-Halo-Mass (SMHM) relations allowing for multiple complexities: scatter, a characteristic break scale, and subhalos which host no galaxy. In contrast to previous works we push the model/data comparison to the faintest dwarfs by modeling observational incompleteness, allowing us to draw three new conclusions. Firstly, we constrain the SMHM relation for $10^2<M_*/M_\odot<10^8$ galaxies, allowing us to bound the peak halo mass of the faintest MW satellite to $M_\mathrm{vir}>2.4\times10^8M_\odot$ ($1\sigma$). Secondly, by translating to a Warm Dark Matter (WDM) cosmology, we bound the thermal relic mass $m_\mathrm{WDM}>2.9$ keV at 95\% confidence, on a par with recent constraints from the Lyman-$\alpha$ forest. Lastly, we find that the observed number of ultra-faint MW dwarfs is in tension with the theoretical prediction that reionisation prevents galaxy formation in almost all $10^8M_\odot$ halos. This can be tested with the next generation of deep imaging surveys. To this end, we predict the likely number of detectable satellite galaxies in the Subaru/HSC survey and the LSST. Confronting these predictions with future observations will be amongst our strongest tests of WDM and the effect reionisation on low-mass systems.

Constraining the Nature of Dark Matter with the Star-formation History of the Faintest Local Group Dwarf Galaxy Satellites

Abstract Λ warm dark matter (ΛWDM), realized by collisionless particles of 1–3 keV, has been proposed as an alternative scenario to Λ-Cold-Dark Matter (ΛCDM) for the dwarf galaxy scale discrepancies. We present an approach to test the viability of such WDM models using star-formation histories (SFHs) of the dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) in the Local Group. We compare their high-time-resolution SFHs with the collapse redshift of their dark halos in CDM and WDM. Collapse redshift is inferred after determining the subhalo infall mass. This is based on the dwarf current mass inferred from stellar kinematics, combined with cosmological simulation results on subhalo evolution. WDM subhalos close to the filtering mass scale, forming significantly later than CDM, are the most difficult to reconcile with early truncation of star formation (z ≥ 3). The ultra-faint dwarfs (UFDs) provide the most stringent constraints. Using six UFDs and eight classical dSphs, we show that a 1 keV particle is strongly disfavored, consistently with other reported methods. Excluding other models is only hinted for a few UFDs. Other UFDs for which the lack of robust constraints on halo mass prevents us from carrying out our analysis rigorously, show a very early onset of star formation that will strengthen the constraints delivered by our method in the future. We discuss the various caveats, notably the low number of dwarfs with accurately determined SFHs and the uncertainties when determining the subhalo infall mass, most notably the baryonic physics. Our preliminary analysis may serve as a pathfinder for future investigations that will combine accurate SFHs for local dwarfs with direct analysis of WDM simulations with baryons.

Stellar Abundances for Galactic Archaeology Database. IV. Compilation of stars in dwarf galaxies

Abstract We have constructed a database of stars in Local Group galaxies using the extended version of the SAGA (Stellar Abundances for Galactic Archaeology) database that contains stars in 24 dwarf spheroidal galaxies and ultra-faint dwarfs. The new version of the database includes more than 4500 stars in the Milky Way, by removing the previous metallicity criterion of [Fe/H] ≤ −2.5, and more than 6000 stars in the Local Group galaxies. We examined the validity of using a combined data set for elemental abundances. We also checked the consistency between the derived distances to individual stars and those to galaxies as given in the literature. Using the updated database, the characteristics of stars in dwarf galaxies are discussed. Our statistical analyses of α-element abundances show that the change of the slope of the [α/Fe] relative to [Fe/H] (so-called “knee”) occurs at [Fe/H] = −1.0 ± 0.1 for the Milky Way. The knee positions for selected galaxies are derived by applying the same method. The star formation history of individual galaxies is explored using the slope of the cumulative metallicity distribution function. Radial gradients along the four directions are inspected in six galaxies where we find no direction-dependence of metallicity gradients along the major and minor axes. The compilation of all the available data shows a lack of CEMP-s population in dwarf galaxies, while there may be some CEMP-no stars at [Fe/H] ≲ −3 even in the very small sample. The inspection of the relationship between Eu and Ba abundances confirms an anomalously Ba-rich population in Fornax, which indicates a pre-enrichment of interstellar gas with r-process elements. We do not find any evidence of anti-correlations in O–Na and Mg–Al abundances, which characterizes the abundance trends in the Galactic globular clusters.

Primordial Black Holes and r-Process Nucleosynthesis.

We show that some or all of the inventory of r-process nucleosynthesis can be produced in interactions of primordial black holes (PBHs) with neutron stars (NSs) if PBHs with masses 10^{-14} M_{⊙}<M_{PBH}<10^{-8} M_{⊙} make up a few percent or more of dark matter. A PBH captured by a NS sinks to the center of the NS and consumes it from the inside. When this occurs in a rotating millisecond-period NS, the resulting spin-up ejects ∼0.1 M_{⊙}-0.5 M_{⊙} of relatively cold neutron-rich material. This ejection process and the accompanying decompression and decay of nuclear matter can produce electromagnetic transients, such as a kilonova-type afterglow and fast radio bursts. These transients are not accompanied by significant gravitational radiation or neutrinos, allowing such events to be differentiated from compact object mergers occurring within the distance sensitivity limits of gravitational-wave observatories. The PBH-NS destruction scenario is consistent with pulsar and NS statistics, the dark-matter content, and spatial distributions in the Galaxy and ultrafaint dwarfs, as well as with the r-process content and evolution histories in these sites. Ejected matter is heated by beta decay, which leads to emission of positrons in an amount consistent with the observed 511-keV line from the Galactic center.

An observer's guide to the (Local Group) dwarf galaxies: predictions for their own dwarf satellite populations

A recent surge in the discovery of new ultrafaint dwarf satellites of the Milky Way has inspired the idea of searching for faint satellites, $10^3\, \mathrm{M_{\odot}} < M_* < 10^6\, \mathrm{M_{\odot}}$, around less massive field galaxies in the Local Group. Such satellites would be subject to weaker environmental influences than Milky Way satellites, and could lead to new insights on low mass galaxy formation. In this paper, we predict the number of luminous satellites expected around field dwarf galaxies by applying several abundance matching models and a reionization model to the dark-matter only \textit{Caterpillar} simulation suite. For three of the four abundance matching models used, we find a $>99\%$ chance that at least one satellite with stellar mass $M_*> 10^5\, \mathrm{M_{\odot}}$ exists around the combined five Local Group field dwarf galaxies with the largest stellar mass. When considering satellites with $M_*> 10^4\, \mathrm{M_{\odot}}$, we predict a combined $5-25$ satellites for the five largest field dwarfs, and $10-50$ for the whole Local Group field dwarf population. Because of the relatively small number of predicted dwarfs, and their extended spatial distribution, a large fraction each Local Group dwarf's virial volume will need to be surveyed to guarantee discoveries. We compute the predicted number of satellites in a given field of view of specific Local Group galaxies, as a function of minimum satellite luminosity, and explicitly obtain such values for the Solitary Local dwarfs survey. Uncertainties in abundance matching and reionization models are large, implying that comprehensive searches could lead to refinements of both models.

Searches for new Milky Way satellites from the first two years of data of the Subaru/Hyper Suprime-Cam survey: Discovery of Cetus III

Abstract We present the results from a search for new Milky Way (MW) satellites from the first two years of data from the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) Subaru Strategic Program (SSP) ∼300 deg2 and report the discovery of a highly compelling ultra-faint dwarf galaxy candidate in Cetus. This is the second ultra-faint dwarf we have discovered after Virgo I reported in our previous paper. This satellite, Cetus III, has been identified as a statistically significant (10.7 σ) spatial overdensity of star-like objects, which are selected from a relevant isochrone filter designed for a metal-poor and old stellar population. This stellar system is located at a heliocentric distance of 251$^{+24}_{-11}\:$kpc with a most likely absolute magnitude of MV = −2.4 ± 0.6 mag estimated from a Monte Carlo analysis. Cetus III is extended with a half-light radius of $r_h = 90^{+42}_{-17}\:$pc, suggesting that this is a faint dwarf satellite in the MW located beyond the detection limit of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Further spectroscopic studies are needed to assess the nature of this stellar system. We also revisit and update the parameters for Virgo I, finding $M_V = -0.33^{+0.75}_{-0.87}\:$mag and $r_h = 47^{+19}_{-13}\:$pc. Using simulations of Λ-dominated cold dark matter models, we predict that we should find one or two new MW satellites from ∼300 deg2 HSC-SSP data, in rough agreement with the discovery rate so far. The further survey and completion of HSC-SSP over ∼1400 deg2 will provide robust insights into the missing satellites problem.

Simulating neutron star mergers as r-process sources in ultrafaint dwarf galaxies

To explain the high observed abundances of r-process elements in local ultra- faint dwarf (UFD) galaxies, we perform cosmological zoom simulations that include r-process production from neutron star mergers (NSMs). We model star-formation stochastically and simulate two different halos with total masses $\approx 10^8 M_{\odot}$ at z = 6. We find that the final distribution of [Eu/H] vs. [Fe/H] is relatively insensitive to the energy by which the r-process material is ejected into the interstellar medium, but strongly sensitive to the environment in which the NSM event occurs. In one halo the NSM event takes place at the center of the stellar distribution, leading to high-levels of r-process enrichment such as seen in a local UFD, Reticulum II (Ret II). In a second halo, the NSM event takes place outside of the densest part of the galaxy, leading to a more extended r-process distribution. The subsequent star formation occurs in an interstellar medium with shallow levels of r-process enrichment which results in stars with low levels of [Eu/H] compared to Ret II stars even when the maximum possible r-process mass is assumed to be ejected. This suggests that the natal kicks of neutron stars may also play an important role in determining the r-process abundances in UFD galaxies, a topic that warrants further theoretical investigation.

Origin of the Galactic Halo: accretion vs. in situ formation

AbstractWe test the hypothesis that the classical and ultra-faint dwarf spheroidal satellites of the our Galaxy have been the building blocks of the Galactic halo by comparing their [O/Fe] and [Ba/Fe] vs. [Fe/H] patterns with the ones observed in Galactic halo stars. The [O/Fe] ratio deviates substantially from the observed abundance ratios in the Galactic halo stars for [Fe/H] &amp;gt; -2 dex, while they overlap for lower metallicities. On the other hand, for the neutron capture elements, the discrepancy is extended at all the metallicities, suggesting that the majority of stars in the halo are likely to have been formed in situ. We present the results for a model considering the effects of an enriched gas stripped from dwarf satellites on the chemical evolution of the Galactic halo. We find that the resulting chemical abundances of the halo stars depend on the adopted infall time-scale, and the presence of a threshold in the gas for star formation.

Gaia 1 and 2. A pair of new Galactic star clusters

We present the results of the very first search for faint Milky Way satellites in the Gaia data. Using stellar positions only, we are able to re-discover objects detected in much deeper data as recently as the last couple of years. While we do not identify new prominent ultra-faint dwarf galaxies, we report the discovery of two new star clusters, Gaia 1 and Gaia 2. Gaia 1 is particularly curious, as it is a massive (2.2$\times$10$^4$ M$_\odot$), large ($\sim$9 pc) and nearby (4.6 kpc) cluster, situated 10' away from the brightest star on the sky, Sirius! Even though this satellite is detected at significance in excess of 10, it was missed by previous sky surveys. We conclude that Gaia possesses powerful and unique capabilities for satellite detection thanks to its unrivalled angular resolution and highly efficient object classification.

Triangulum II. Not Especially Dense After All*

Abstract Among the Milky Way satellites discovered in the past three years, Triangulum II has presented the most difficulty in revealing its dynamical status. Kirby et al. identified it as the most dark-matter-dominated galaxy known, with a mass-to-light ratio within the half-light radius of . On the other hand, Martin et al. measured an outer velocity dispersion that is 3.5 ± 2.1 times larger than the central velocity dispersion, suggesting that the system might not be in equilibrium. From new multi-epoch Keck/DEIMOS measurements of 13 member stars in Triangulum II, we constrain the velocity dispersion to be km s−1 (90% C.L.). Our previous measurement of , based on six stars, was inflated by the presence of a binary star with variable radial velocity. We find no evidence that the velocity dispersion increases with radius. The stars display a wide range of metallicities, indicating that Triangulum II retained supernova ejecta and therefore possesses, or once possessed, a massive dark matter halo. However, the detection of a metallicity dispersion hinges on the membership of the two most metal-rich stars. The stellar mass is lower than galaxies of similar mean stellar metallicity, which might indicate that Triangulum II is either a star cluster or a tidally stripped dwarf galaxy. Detailed abundances of one star show heavily depressed neutron-capture abundances, similar to stars in most other ultra-faint dwarf galaxies but unlike stars in globular clusters.

Local Group ultra-faint dwarf galaxies in the reionization era

Abstract Motivated by the stellar fossil record of Local Group (LG) dwarf galaxies, we show that the star-forming ancestors of the faintest ultra-faint dwarf galaxies (UFDs; MV ∼ −2 or M⋆ ∼ 102 at z = 0) had ultraviolet (UV) luminosities of MUV ∼ −3 to −6 during reionization (z ∼ 6–10). The existence of such faint galaxies has substantial implications for early epochs of galaxy formation and reionization. If the faint-end slopes of the UV luminosity functions (UVLFs) during reionization are steep (α ≲ −2) to MUV ∼ −3, then (i) the ancestors of UFDs produced &amp;gt;50 per cent of UV flux from galaxies; (ii) galaxies can maintain reionization with escape fractions that are more than two times lower than currently adopted values; (iii) direct Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope observations may detect only ∼10–50 per cent of the UV light from galaxies; and (iv) the cosmic star formation history increases by ≳ 4–6 at z ≳ 6. Significant flux from UFDs, and resultant tensions with LG dwarf galaxy counts, is reduced if the high-redshift UVLF turns over. Independent of the UVLF shape, the existence of a large population of UFDs requires a non-zero luminosity function to MUV ∼ −3 during reionization.

An r-process Enhanced Star in the Dwarf Galaxy Tucana III*

Abstract Chemically peculiar stars in dwarf galaxies provide a window for exploring the birth environment of stars with varying chemical enrichment. We present a chemical abundance analysis of the brightest star in the newly discovered ultra-faint dwarf galaxy candidate Tucana III. Because it is particularly bright for a star in an ultra-faint Milky Way (MW) satellite, we are able to measure the abundance of 28 elements, including 13 neutron-capture species. This star, DES J235532.66−593114.9 (DES J235532), shows a mild enhancement in neutron-capture elements associated with the r-process and can be classified as an r-I star. DES J235532 is the first r-I star to be discovered in an ultra-faint satellite, and Tuc III is the second extremely low-luminosity system found to contain r-process enriched material, after Reticulum II. Comparison of the abundance pattern of DES J235532 with r-I and r-II stars found in other dwarf galaxies and in the MW halo suggests a common astrophysical origin for the neutron-capture elements seen in all r-process enhanced stars. We explore both internal and external scenarios for the r-process enrichment of Tuc III and show that with abundance patterns for additional stars, it should be possible to distinguish between them.

Detection of an Optical Counterpart to the ALFALFA Ultra-compact High-velocity Cloud AGC 249525

Abstract We report on the detection at &gt;98% confidence of an optical counterpart to AGC 249525, an ultra-compact high-velocity cloud (UCHVC) discovered by the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA survey blind neutral hydrogen survey. UCHVCs are compact, isolated H i clouds with properties consistent with their being nearby low-mass galaxies, but without identified counterparts in extant optical surveys. Analysis of the resolved stellar sources in deep g- and i-band imaging from the WIYN pODI camera reveals a clustering of possible red giant branch stars associated with AGC 249525 at a distance of 1.64 ± 0.45 Mpc. Matching our optical detection with the H i synthesis map of AGC 249525 from Adams et al. shows that the stellar overdensity is exactly coincident with the highest-density H i contour from that study. Combining our optical photometry and the H i properties of this object yields an absolute magnitude of , a stellar mass between and , and an H i to stellar mass ratio between 9 and 144. This object has stellar properties within the observed range of gas-poor ultra-faint dwarfs in the Local Group, but is gas-dominated.

Emergence of a stellar cusp by a dark matter cusp in a low-mass compact ultrafaint dwarf galaxy

Recent observations have been discovering new ultra-faint dwarf galaxies as small as $\sim20~{\rm pc}$ in half-light radius and $\sim3~{\rm km~s^{-1}}$ in line-of-sight velocity dispersion. In these galaxies, dynamical friction on a star against dark matter can be significant and alter their stellar density distribution. The effect can strongly depend on a central density profile of dark matter, i.e. cusp or core. In this study, I perform computations using a classical and a modern analytic formulae and $N$-body simulations to study how dynamical friction changes a stellar density profile and how different it is between cuspy and cored dark matter haloes. This study shows that, if a dark matter halo has a cusp, dynamical friction can cause shrivelling instability which results in emergence of a stellar cusp in the central region $\simeq2~{\rm pc}$. On the other hand, if it has a constant-density core, dynamical friction is significantly weaker and does not generate a stellar cusp even if the galaxy has the same line-of-sight velocity dispersion. In such a compact and low-mass galaxy, since the shrivelling instability by dynamical friction is inevitable if it has a dark matter cusp, absence of a stellar cusp implies that the galaxy has a dark-matter core. I expect that this could be used to diagnose a dark matter density profile in these compact ultra-faint dwarf galaxies.