Self-interacting dark matter and small-scale gravitational lenses in galaxy clusters
Recently, Meneghetti et al. reported an excess of small-scale gravitational lenses in galaxy clusters. We study its implications for self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) compared with standard cold dark matter (CDM). We design controlled N-body simulations that incorporate observational constraints....
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| Published in: | Physical review. D Vol. 104; no. 10 |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
United States
American Physical Society (APS)
01.11.2021
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| Subjects: | |
| ISSN: | 2470-0010, 2470-0029 |
| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | Recently, Meneghetti et al. reported an excess of small-scale gravitational lenses in galaxy clusters. We study its implications for self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) compared with standard cold dark matter (CDM). We design controlled N-body simulations that incorporate observational constraints. The presence of early-type galaxies in cluster substructures can deepen gravitational potential and reduce tidal mass loss. Both scenarios require a relatively high baryon concentration in the substructure to accommodate the lensing measurements, and their tangential caustics are similar. The SIDM substructure can experience gravothermal collapse and produce a steeper density profile than its CDM counterpart, leading to a larger radial galaxy-galaxy strong-lensing cross section, although this effect is hard to observe. Our results indicate that SIDM can provide a unified explanation to small-scale lenses in galaxy clusters and stellar motion in dwarf galaxies. |
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| Bibliography: | USDOE Office of Science (SC) SC0008541 John Templeton Foundation National Key Research and Development Program of China NSFC |
| ISSN: | 2470-0010 2470-0029 |
| DOI: | 10.1103/PhysRevD.104.103031 |