Dark-matter-deficient dwarf galaxies form via tidal stripping of dark matter in interactions with massive companions

In the standard ΛCDM (Lambda cold dark matter) paradigm, dwarf galaxies are expected to be dark matter-rich, as baryonic feedback is thought to quickly drive gas out of their shallow potential wells and quench star formation at early epochs. Recent observations of local dwarfs with extremely low dar...

Descrición completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Main Authors: Jackson, RA, Kaviraj, S, Martin, G, Devriendt, JEG, Slyz, A, Silk, J, Dubois, Y, Yi, SK, Pichon, C, Volonteri, M, Choi, H, Kimm, T, Kraljic, K, Peirani, S
Formato: Journal article
Idioma:English
Publicado: Oxford University Press 2021
_version_ 1826308126978080768
author Jackson, RA
Kaviraj, S
Martin, G
Devriendt, JEG
Slyz, A
Silk, J
Dubois, Y
Yi, SK
Pichon, C
Volonteri, M
Choi, H
Kimm, T
Kraljic, K
Peirani, S
author_facet Jackson, RA
Kaviraj, S
Martin, G
Devriendt, JEG
Slyz, A
Silk, J
Dubois, Y
Yi, SK
Pichon, C
Volonteri, M
Choi, H
Kimm, T
Kraljic, K
Peirani, S
author_sort Jackson, RA
collection OXFORD
description In the standard ΛCDM (Lambda cold dark matter) paradigm, dwarf galaxies are expected to be dark matter-rich, as baryonic feedback is thought to quickly drive gas out of their shallow potential wells and quench star formation at early epochs. Recent observations of local dwarfs with extremely low dark matter content appear to contradict this picture, potentially bringing the validity of the standard model into question. We use NewHorizon, a high-resolution cosmological simulation, to demonstrate that sustained stripping of dark matter, in tidal interactions between a massive galaxy and a dwarf satellite, naturally produces dwarfs that are dark matter-deficient, even though their initial dark matter fractions are normal. The process of dark matter stripping is responsible for the large scatter in the halo-to-stellar mass relation in the dwarf regime. The degree of stripping is driven by the closeness of the orbit of the dwarf around its massive companion and, in extreme cases, produces dwarfs with halo-to-stellar mass ratios as low as unity, consistent with the findings of recent observational studies. ∼30 per cent of dwarfs show some deviation from normal dark matter fractions due to dark matter stripping, with 10 per cent showing high levels of dark matter deficiency (Mhalo/M⋆ < 10). Given their close orbits, a significant fraction of dark matter-deficient dwarfs merge with their massive companions (e.g. ∼70 per cent merge over time-scales of ∼3.5 Gyr), with the dark matter-deficient population being constantly replenished by new interactions between dwarfs and massive companions. The creation of these galaxies is therefore a natural by-product of galaxy evolution and their existence is not in tension with the standard paradigm.
first_indexed 2024-03-07T07:14:51Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:217fc793-d81c-47a7-a8a8-a549f5254a91
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T07:14:51Z
publishDate 2021
publisher Oxford University Press
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:217fc793-d81c-47a7-a8a8-a549f5254a912022-08-04T16:11:53ZDark-matter-deficient dwarf galaxies form via tidal stripping of dark matter in interactions with massive companionsJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:217fc793-d81c-47a7-a8a8-a549f5254a91EnglishSymplectic ElementsOxford University Press2021Jackson, RAKaviraj, SMartin, GDevriendt, JEGSlyz, ASilk, JDubois, YYi, SKPichon, CVolonteri, MChoi, HKimm, TKraljic, KPeirani, SIn the standard ΛCDM (Lambda cold dark matter) paradigm, dwarf galaxies are expected to be dark matter-rich, as baryonic feedback is thought to quickly drive gas out of their shallow potential wells and quench star formation at early epochs. Recent observations of local dwarfs with extremely low dark matter content appear to contradict this picture, potentially bringing the validity of the standard model into question. We use NewHorizon, a high-resolution cosmological simulation, to demonstrate that sustained stripping of dark matter, in tidal interactions between a massive galaxy and a dwarf satellite, naturally produces dwarfs that are dark matter-deficient, even though their initial dark matter fractions are normal. The process of dark matter stripping is responsible for the large scatter in the halo-to-stellar mass relation in the dwarf regime. The degree of stripping is driven by the closeness of the orbit of the dwarf around its massive companion and, in extreme cases, produces dwarfs with halo-to-stellar mass ratios as low as unity, consistent with the findings of recent observational studies. ∼30 per cent of dwarfs show some deviation from normal dark matter fractions due to dark matter stripping, with 10 per cent showing high levels of dark matter deficiency (Mhalo/M⋆ < 10). Given their close orbits, a significant fraction of dark matter-deficient dwarfs merge with their massive companions (e.g. ∼70 per cent merge over time-scales of ∼3.5 Gyr), with the dark matter-deficient population being constantly replenished by new interactions between dwarfs and massive companions. The creation of these galaxies is therefore a natural by-product of galaxy evolution and their existence is not in tension with the standard paradigm.
spellingShingle Jackson, RA
Kaviraj, S
Martin, G
Devriendt, JEG
Slyz, A
Silk, J
Dubois, Y
Yi, SK
Pichon, C
Volonteri, M
Choi, H
Kimm, T
Kraljic, K
Peirani, S
Dark-matter-deficient dwarf galaxies form via tidal stripping of dark matter in interactions with massive companions
title Dark-matter-deficient dwarf galaxies form via tidal stripping of dark matter in interactions with massive companions
title_full Dark-matter-deficient dwarf galaxies form via tidal stripping of dark matter in interactions with massive companions
title_fullStr Dark-matter-deficient dwarf galaxies form via tidal stripping of dark matter in interactions with massive companions
title_full_unstemmed Dark-matter-deficient dwarf galaxies form via tidal stripping of dark matter in interactions with massive companions
title_short Dark-matter-deficient dwarf galaxies form via tidal stripping of dark matter in interactions with massive companions
title_sort dark matter deficient dwarf galaxies form via tidal stripping of dark matter in interactions with massive companions
work_keys_str_mv AT jacksonra darkmatterdeficientdwarfgalaxiesformviatidalstrippingofdarkmatterininteractionswithmassivecompanions
AT kavirajs darkmatterdeficientdwarfgalaxiesformviatidalstrippingofdarkmatterininteractionswithmassivecompanions
AT marting darkmatterdeficientdwarfgalaxiesformviatidalstrippingofdarkmatterininteractionswithmassivecompanions
AT devriendtjeg darkmatterdeficientdwarfgalaxiesformviatidalstrippingofdarkmatterininteractionswithmassivecompanions
AT slyza darkmatterdeficientdwarfgalaxiesformviatidalstrippingofdarkmatterininteractionswithmassivecompanions
AT silkj darkmatterdeficientdwarfgalaxiesformviatidalstrippingofdarkmatterininteractionswithmassivecompanions
AT duboisy darkmatterdeficientdwarfgalaxiesformviatidalstrippingofdarkmatterininteractionswithmassivecompanions
AT yisk darkmatterdeficientdwarfgalaxiesformviatidalstrippingofdarkmatterininteractionswithmassivecompanions
AT pichonc darkmatterdeficientdwarfgalaxiesformviatidalstrippingofdarkmatterininteractionswithmassivecompanions
AT volonterim darkmatterdeficientdwarfgalaxiesformviatidalstrippingofdarkmatterininteractionswithmassivecompanions
AT choih darkmatterdeficientdwarfgalaxiesformviatidalstrippingofdarkmatterininteractionswithmassivecompanions
AT kimmt darkmatterdeficientdwarfgalaxiesformviatidalstrippingofdarkmatterininteractionswithmassivecompanions
AT kraljick darkmatterdeficientdwarfgalaxiesformviatidalstrippingofdarkmatterininteractionswithmassivecompanions
AT peiranis darkmatterdeficientdwarfgalaxiesformviatidalstrippingofdarkmatterininteractionswithmassivecompanions