arXiv subjects

Stacy McGaugh

Publications and source records attributed to Stacy McGaugh.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2023

Aether scalar tensor theory confronted with weak lensing data at small accelerations

The recently proposed aether scalar tensor (AeST) model reproduces both the successes of particle dark matter on cosmological scales and those of modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) on galactic scales. But the AeST model reproduces MOND only up to a certain maximum galactocentric radius. Since MOND is known to fit very well to observations at these scales, this raises the question of whether the AeST model comes into tension with data. We tested whether or not the AeST model is in conflict with observations using a recent analysis of data for weak gravitational lensing. We solved the equations of motion of the AeST model, analyzed the solutions' behavior, and compared the results to observational data. The AeST model shows some deviations from MOND at the radii probed by weak gravitational lensing. The data show no clear indication of these predicted deviations.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

Local Group Galaxies from an External Perspective

I discuss Local Group galaxies from the perspective of external galaxies that define benchmark scaling relations. Making use of this information leads to a model for the Milky Way that includes bumps and wiggles due to spiral arms. This model reconciles the terminal velocities observed in the interstellar medium with the rotation curve derived from stars, correctly predicts the gradual decline of the outer rotation curve ($dV/dR = -1.7\;\mathrm{km}\,\mathrm{s}^{-1}\,\mathrm{kpc}^{-1}$), and extrapolates well out to 50 kpc. Rotationally supported Local Group galaxies are in excellent agreement with the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation. Pressure supported dwarfs that are the most likely to be in dynamical equilibrium also align with this relation. Local Group galaxies thus appear to be normal members of the low redshift galaxy population. There is, however, a serious tension between the dynamical masses of the Milky Way and M31 ($M_{200} \approx 1.4$ and $1.6 \times 10^{12}\;\mathrm{M}_{\odot}$, respectively) and those expected from the stellar mass-halo mass relation of abundance matching ($M_{200} \approx 3$ and $20 \times 10^{12}\;\mathrm{M}_{\odot}$, respectively).

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

Galactic Mass-to-Light Ratios With Superfluid Dark Matter

We make rotation curve fits to test the superfluid dark matter model. In addition to verifying that the resulting fits match the rotation curve data reasonably well, we aim to evaluate how satisfactory they are with respect to two criteria, namely, how reasonable the resulting stellar mass-to-light ratios are and whether the fits end up in the regime of superfluid dark matter where the model resembles modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND). We fitted the superfluid dark matter model to the rotation curves of 169 galaxies in the SPARC sample. We found that the mass-to-light ratios obtained with superfluid dark matter are generally acceptable in terms of stellar populations. However, the best-fit mass-to-light ratios have an unnatural dependence on the size of the galaxy in that giant galaxies have systematically lower mass-to-light ratios than dwarf galaxies. A second finding is that the superfluid often fits the rotation curves best in the regime where the superfluid's force cannot resemble that of MOND without adjusting a boundary condition separately for each galaxy. In that case, we can no longer expect superfluid dark matter to reproduce the phenomenologically observed scaling relations that make MOND appealing. If, on the other hand, we consider only solutions whose force approximates MOND well, then the total mass of the superfluid is in tension with gravitational lensing data. We conclude that even the best fits with superfluid dark matter are still unsatisfactory for two reasons. First, the resulting stellar mass-to-light ratios show an unnatural trend with galaxy size. Second, the fits do not end up in the regime that automatically resembles MOND, and if we force the fits to do so, the total dark matter mass is in tension with strong lensing data.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

Stellar Mass-to-light Ratios: Composite Bulge+Disk Models and the Baryonic Tully-Fisher Relation

We present stellar population models to calculate the mass-to-light ratio ($Υ_*$) based on galaxy's colors ranging from $GALEX$ FUV to Spitzer IRAC1 at 3.6$μ$m. We present a new composite bulge+disk $Υ_*$ model that considers the varying contribution from bulges and disks based on their optical and near-IR colors. Using these colors, we build plausible star formation histories and chemical enrichment scenarios based on the star formation rate-stellar mass and mass-metallicity correlations for star-forming galaxies. The most accurate prescription is to use the actual colors for the bulge and disk components to constrain $Υ_*$; however, a reasonable bulge+disk model plus total color only introduces 5% more uncertainty. Full bulge+disk $Υ_*$ prescriptions applied to the baryonic TF relation improves the linearity of the correlation, increases the slope and reduces the total scatter by 4%.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

The Baryonic Tully-Fisher Relation in the Local Group and the Equivalent Circular Velocity of Pressure Supported Dwarfs

We explore the Baryonic Tully-Fisher Relation in the Local Group. Rotationally supported Local Group galaxies adhere precisely to the relation defined by more distant galaxies. For pressure supported dwarf galaxies, we determine the scaling factor $β_c$ that relates their observed velocity dispersion to the equivalent circular velocity of rotationally supported galaxies of the same mass such that $V_o = β_c σ_*$. For a typical mass-to-light ratio $Υ_* = 2\;\mathrm{M}_{\odot}/\mathrm{L}_{\odot}$ in the $V$-band, we find that $β_c = 2$. More generally, $\log β_c = 0.25 \log Υ_* +0.226$. This provides a common kinematic scale relating pressure and rotationally supported dwarf galaxies.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

Testing Galaxy Formation and Dark Matter with Low Surface Brightness Galaxies

Galaxies are the basic structural element of the universe; galaxy formation theory seeks to explain how these structures came to be. I trace some of the foundational ideas in galaxy formation, with emphasis on the need for non-baryonic cold dark matter. Many elements of early theory did not survive contact with observations of low surface brightness galaxies, leading to the need for auxiliary hypotheses like feedback. The failure points often trace to the surprising predictive successes of an alternative to dark matter, the Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND). While dark matter models are flexible in accommodating observations, they do not provide the predictive capacity of MOND. If the universe is made of cold dark matter, why does MOND get any predictions right?

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

A cautionary tale in fitting galaxy rotation curves with Bayesian techniques: does Newton's constant vary from galaxy to galaxy?

The application of Bayesian techniques to astronomical data is generally non-trivial because the fitting parameters can be strongly degenerated and the formal uncertainties are themselves uncertain. An example is provided by the contradictory claims over the presence or absence of a universal acceleration scale (g$_\dagger$) in galaxies based on Bayesian fits to rotation curves. To illustrate the situation, we present an analysis in which the Newtonian gravitational constant $G_N$ is allowed to vary from galaxy to galaxy when fitting rotation curves from the SPARC database, in analogy to $g_{\dagger}$ in the recently debated Bayesian analyses. When imposing flat priors on $G_N$, we obtain a wide distribution of $G_N$ which, taken at face value, would rule out $G_N$ as a universal constant with high statistical confidence. However, imposing an empirically motivated log-normal prior returns a virtually constant $G_N$ with no sacrifice in fit quality. This implies that the inference of a variable $G_N$ (or g$_{\dagger}$) is the result of the combined effect of parameter degeneracies and unavoidable uncertainties in the error model. When these effects are taken into account, the SPARC data are consistent with a constant $G_{\rm N}$ (and constant $g_\dagger$).

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

Anomalous Stellar Populations in LSB Galaxies

We present new HST WFC3 near-IR observations of the CMD's in two LSB galaxies, F575-3 and F615-1, notable for having no current star formation based on a lack of H$α$ emission. Key features of the near-IR CMD's are resolved, such as the red giant branch (RGB), the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) region and the top of the blue main sequence (bMS). F575-3 has the bluest RGB of any CMD in the literature, indicating an extremely low mean metallicity. F615-1 has unusually wide RGB and AGB sequences suggesting multiple episodes of star formation from metal-poor gas, possibly infalling material. Both galaxies have an unusual population of stars to the red of the RGB and lower in luminosity than typical AGB stars. These stars have normal optical colors but abnormal near-IR colors. We suggest that this population of stars might be analogous to local peculiar stars like Be stars with strong near-IR excesses owing to a surrounding disk of hot gas.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

Using The Baryonic Tully-Fisher Relation to Measure $H_o$

We explore the use of the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation (bTFR) as a new distance indicator. Advances in near-IR imaging and stellar population models, plus precise rotation curves, have reduced the scatter in the bTFR such that distance is the dominant source of uncertainty. Using 50 galaxies with accurate distances from Cepheids or tip magnitude of the red giant branch, we calibrate the bTFR on a scale independent of $H_o$. We then apply this calibrated bTFR to 95 independent galaxies from the SPARC sample, using CosmicFlows-3 velocities, to deduce the local value of $H_o$. We find $H_o$ = 75.1 +/- 2.3 (stat) +/- 1.5 (sys) km s$^{-1}$ Mpc$^{-1}$.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2020

Can Bars Erode Cuspy Halos ?

One of the major and widely known small scale problem with the Lambda CDM model of cosmology is the core-cusp problem. In this study we investigate whether this problem can be resolved using bar instabilities. We see that all the initial bars are thin (b/a $<$ 0.3) in our simulations and the bar becomes thick (b/a $>$ 0.3$) faster in the high resolution simulations. By increasing the resolution, we mean a larger number of disk particles. The thicker bars in the high resolution simulations transfer less angular momentum to the halo. Hence, we find that in the high resolution simulations it takes around 7 Gyr for the bar to remove inner dark matter cusp which is too long to be meaningful in galaxy evolution timescales. Physically, the reason is that as the resolution increases, the bar buckles faster and becomes thicker much earlier on.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

Predictions and Outcomes for the Dynamics of Rotating Galaxies

A review is given of a priori predictions made for the dynamics of rotating galaxies. One theory - MOND - has had many predictions corroborated by subsequent observations. While it is sometimes possible to offer post hoc explanations for these observations in terms of dark matter, it is seldom possible to use dark matter to predict the same phenomena.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

A comprehensive catalog of dark matter halo models for SPARC galaxies

We present rotation curve fits to 175 late-type galaxies from the Spitzer Photometry & Accurate Rotation Curves (SPARC) database using seven dark matter (DM) halo profiles: pseudo-isothermal (pISO), Burkert, Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW), Einasto, Di Cintio (2014, DC14), coreNFW, and a new semi-empirical profile named Lucky13. We marginalize over stellar mass-to-light ratio, galaxy distance, disk inclination, halo concentration and halo mass (and an additional shape parameter for Einasto) using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo method. We find that cored halo models such as the DC14 and Burkert profiles generally provide better fits to rotation curves than the cuspy NFW profile. The stellar mass-halo mass relation from abundance matching is recovered by all halo profiles once imposed as a Bayesian prior, whereas the halo mass-concentration relation is not reproduced in detail by any halo model. We provide an extensive set of figures as well as best-fit parameters in machine-readable tables to facilitate model comparison and the exploration of DM halo properties.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

Tracing the Dynamical Mass in Galaxy Disks Using HI Velocity Dispersion and its Implications for the Dark Matter Distribution in Galaxies

We present a method to derive the dynamical mass of face-on galaxy disks using their neutral hydrogen (HI) velocity dispersion. We have applied the method to nearby, gas rich galaxies that have extended HI gas disks and have low inclinations. The galaxy sample includes 4 large disk galaxies; NGC628, NGC6496, NGC3184, NGC4214 and 3 dwarf galaxies DDO46, DDO63 and DDO187. We have used archival data from the THINGS and LITTLE THINGS surveys to derive the HI gas distributions and SPITZER mid-infrared images to determine the stellar disk mass distributions. We examine the disk dynamical and baryonic mass ratios in the extreme outer disks where there is HI gas but no visible stellar disk. We find that for the large galaxies the disk dynamical and Hi gas mass surface densities are comparable in the outer disks. But in the smaller dwarf galaxies, for which the total HI gas mass dominates the baryonic mass i.e. M(HI)>M(stars), the disk dynamical mass is much larger than the baryonic mass. For these galaxies there must either be a very low luminosity stellar disk which provides the vertical support for the HI gas disk or there is halo dark matter associated with their disks, which is possible if the halo has an oblate shape so that the inner part of the dark matter halo is concentrated around the disk. Our results are important for explaining the equilibrium of HI disks in the absence of stellar disks, and is especially important for gas rich, dwarf galaxies that appear to have significant dark matter masses associated with their disks.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

The halo mass function of late-type galaxies from HI kinematics

We present an empirical method to measure the halo mass function (HMF) of galaxies. We determine the relation between the \hi\ line-width from single-dish observations and the dark matter halo mass ($M_{200}$) inferred from rotation curve fits in the SPARC database, then we apply this relation to galaxies from the \hi\ Parkes All Sky Survey (HIPASS) to derive the HMF. This empirical HMF is well fit by a Schecther function, and matches that expected in $Λ$CDM over the range $10^{10.5} < M_{200} < 10^{12}\;\mathrm{M}_{\odot}$. More massive halos must be poor in neutral gas to maintain consistency with the power law predicted by $Λ$CDM. We detect no discrepancy at low masses. The lowest halo mass probed by HIPASS, however, is just greater than the mass scale where the Local Group missing satellite problem sets in. The integrated mass density associated with the dark matter halos of \hi-detected galaxies sums to $Ω_{\rm m,gal} \approx 0.03$ over the probed mass range.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

The Imprint of Spiral Arms on the Galactic Rotation Curve

We discuss a model for the Milky Way obtained by fitting the observed terminal velocities with the radial acceleration relation. The resulting stellar surface density profile departs from a smooth exponential disk, having bumps and wiggles that correspond to massive spiral arms. These features are used to estimate the term for the logarithmic density gradient in the Jeans equation, which turn out to have exactly the right location and amplitude to reconcile the apparent discrepancy between the stellar rotation curve and that of the interstellar gas. This model also predicts a gradually declining rotation curve outside the solar circle with slope $-1.7\;\mathrm{km}\,\mathrm{s}^{-1}\,\mathrm{kpc}^{-1}$, as subsequently observed.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

Dynamical Regularities in Galaxies

Galaxies are observed to obey a strict set of dynamical scaling relations. We review these relations for rotationally supported disk galaxies spanning many decades in mass, surface brightness, and gas content. The behavior of these widely varied systems can be summarized with a handful of empirical laws connected by a common acceleration scale.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2019

Uncorrelated velocity and size residuals across galaxy rotation curves

The mass--velocity--size relation of late-type galaxies decouples into independent correlations between mass and velocity (the Tully-Fisher relation), and between mass and size. This behaviour is different to early-type galaxies which lie on a Fundamental Plane. We study the coupling of the Tully-Fisher and mass-size relations in observations (the SPARC sample) and in empirical galaxy formation models based on halo abundance matching, and rotation curve fits with a hydrodynamically motivated halo profile. We systematically investigate the correlation coefficient between the Tully-Fisher residuals $ΔV_r$ and mass-size residuals $ΔR$ as a function of the radius $r$ at which the velocity is measured, and thus present the $ΔV_r-ΔR$ relation across rotation curves. We find no significant correlation in either the data or models for any $r$, aside from $r \ll R_\text{eff}$ where baryonic mass dominates. We show that this implies an anticorrelation between galaxy size and halo concentration (or halo mass) at fixed baryonic mass, and provides evidence against the hypothesis that galaxy and halo specific angular momentum are proportional. Finally, we study the $ΔV_r-ΔR$ relations produced by the baryons and dark matter separately by fitting halo profiles to the rotation curves. The balance between these components illustrates the "disk-halo conspiracy" required for no overall correlation.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2018

The Tight Empirical Relation between Dark Matter Halo Mass and Flat Rotation Velocity for Late-Type Galaxies

We present a new empirical relation between galaxy dark matter halo mass (${\rm M_{halo}}$) and the velocity along the flat portion of the rotation curve (${\rm V_{flat}}$), derived from 120 late-type galaxies from the SPARC database. The orthogonal scatter in this relation is comparable to the observed scatter in the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation (BTFR), indicating a tight coupling between total halo mass and galaxy kinematics at $r\ll R_{\rm vir}$. The small vertical scatter in the relation makes it an extremely competitive estimator of total halo mass. We demonstrate that this conclusion holds true for different priors on $M_*/L_{[3.6μ]}$ that give a tight BTFR, but requires that the halo density profile follows DC14 rather than NFW. We provide additional relations between ${\rm M_{halo}}$ and other velocity definitions at smaller galactic radii (i.e. ${\rm V_{2.2}}$, ${\rm V_{eff}}$, and ${\rm V_{max}}$) which can be useful for estimating halo masses from kinematic surveys, providing an alternative to abundance matching. Furthermore, we constrain the dark matter analog of the Radial Acceleration Relation and also find its scatter to be small, demonstrating the fine balance between baryons and dark matter in their contribution to galaxy kinematics.

astro-ph.GA↗