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The SLUGGS survey: multipopulation dynamical modelling of the elliptical galaxy NGC 1407 from stars and globular clusters.

Authors :
Pota, Vincenzo
Romanowsky, Aaron J.
Brodie, Jean P.
Peñarrubia, Jorge
Forbes, Duncan A.
Napolitano, Nicola R.
Foster, Caroline
Walker, Matthew G.
Strader, Jay
Roediger, Joel C.
Source :
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 7/1/2015, Vol. 450 Issue 3, p3345-3358. 14p.
Publication Year :
2015

Abstract

We perform in-depth dynamical modelling of the luminous and dark matter (DM) content of the elliptical galaxy NGC 1407. Our strategy consists of solving the spherical Jeans equations for three independent dynamical tracers: stars, blue globular clusters (GCs) and red GCs in a self-consistent manner. We adopt a maximum-likelihood Markov Chain Monte Carlo fitting technique in the attempt to constrain the inner slope of the DM density profile (the cusp/core problem), and the stellar initial mass function (IMF) of the galaxy. We find the inner logarithmic slope of the DM density profiles to be γ = 0.6 ± 0.4, which is consistent with either a DM cusp (γ = 1) or with a DM core (γ = 0). Our findings are consistent with a Salpeter IMF, and marginally consistent with a Kroupa IMF. We infer tangential orbits for the blue GCs, and radial anisotropy for red GCs and stars. The modelling results are consistent with the virial mass-concentration relation predicted by A cold dark matter (CDM) simulations. The virial mass of NGC 1407 is logMvir = 13.3 ± 0.2M⊙, whereas the stellar mass is logM+ = 11.8 ± 0.1 M⊙. The overall uncertainties on the mass of NGC 1407 are only 5 per cent at the projected stellar effective radius. We attribute the disagreement between our results and previous X-ray results to the gas not being in hydrostatic equilibrium in the central regions of the galaxy. The halo of NGC 1407 is found be DM-dominated, with a dynamical mass-to-light ratio of M/L = 260+174-104 M⊙/L⊙.b. However, this value can be larger up to a factor of 3 depending on the assumed prior on the DM scale radius. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
00358711
Volume :
450
Issue :
3
Database :
Academic Search Index
Journal :
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
108397889
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stv831