David Harvey

The behaviour of dark matter associated with four bright cluster galaxies in the 10 kpc core of Abell 3827

Galaxy cluster Abell 3827 hosts the stellar remnants of four almost equally bright elliptical galaxies within a core of radius 10 kpc. Such corrugation of the stellar distribution is very rare, and suggests recent formation by several simultaneous mergers. We map the distribution of associated dark matter, using new Hubble Space Telescope imaging and Very Large Telescope/Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer integral field spectroscopy of a gravitationally lensed system threaded through the cluster core. We find that each of the central galaxies retains a dark matter halo, but that (at least) one of these is spatially offset from its stars. The best-constrained offset is 1.62(-0.49)(+0.47) kpc, where the 68 per cent confidence limit includes both statistical error and systematic biases in mass modelling. Such offsets are not seen in field galaxies, but are predicted during the long infall to a cluster, if dark matter self-interactions generate an extra drag force. With such a small physical separation, it is difficult to definitively rule out astrophysical effects operating exclusively in dense cluster core environments - but if interpreted solely as evidence for self-interacting dark matter, this offset implies a cross-section sigma(DM)/(m) similar to (1.7 +/- 0.7) x 10(-4) cm(2) g(-1) x (t(infall)/10(9) yr)(-2), where t(infall) is the infall duration.

The extraordinary amount of substructure in the Hubble Frontier Fields cluster Abell 2744

We present a joint optical/X-ray analysis of the massive galaxy cluster Abell 2744 (z = 0.308). Our strong- and weak-lensing analysis within the central region of the cluster, i.e. at R < 1 Mpc from the brightest cluster galaxy, reveals eight substructures, including the main core. All of these dark matter haloes are detected with a significance of at least 5 sigma and feature masses ranging from 0.5 to 1.4 x 10(14) M-circle dot within R < 150 kpc. Merten et al. and Medezinski et al. substructures are also detected by us. We measure a slightly higher mass for the main core component than reported previously and attribute the discrepancy to the inclusion of our tightly constrained strong-lensing mass model built on Hubble Frontier Fields data. X-ray data obtained by XMM-Newton reveal four remnant cores, one of them a new detection, and three shocks. Unlike Merten et al., we find all cores to have both dark and luminous counterparts. A comparison with clusters of similar mass in the Millennium XXL simulations yields no objects with as many massive substructures as observed in Abell 2744, confirming that Abell 2744 is an extreme system. We stress that these properties still do not constitute a challenge to Lambda cold dark matter, as caveats apply to both the simulation and the observations: for instance, the projected mass measurements from gravitational lensing and the limited resolution of the subhaloes finders. We discuss implications of Abell 2744 for the plausibility of different dark matter candidates and, finally, measure a new upper limit on the self-interaction cross-section of dark matter of sigma(DM) < 1.28 cm(2) g(-1) (68 per cent CL), in good agreement with previous results from Harvey et al.

Abell 2744: Too much substructure for Lambda CDM?

The massive substructures found in Abell 2744 by Jauzac et al. present a challenge to the cold dark matter paradigm due to their number and proximity to the cluster centre. We use one of the biggest N-body simulations, the Millennium XXL, to investigate the substructure in a large sample of massive dark matter haloes. A range of effects that influence the comparison with the observations is considered, extending the preliminary evaluation carried out by Jauzac et al. There are many tens of haloes in the simulation with a total mass comparable with or larger than that of Abell 2744. However, we find no haloes with a number and distribution of massive substructures (> 5 x 10(13) M-circle dot) that is close to that inferred from the observations of Abell 2744. The application of extreme value statistics suggests that we would need a simulation of at least 10 times the volume of the Millennium XXL to find a single dark matter halo with a similar internal structure to Abell 2744. Explaining the distribution of massive substructures in clusters is a new hurdle for hierarchical models to negotiate, which is not weakened by appeals to baryonic physics or uncertainty over the nature of the dark matter particle.

A detection of wobbling brightest cluster galaxies within massive galaxy clusters

A striking signal of dark matter beyond the standard model is the existence of cores in the centre of galaxy clusters. Recent simulations predict that a brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) inside a cored galaxy cluster will exhibit residual wobbling due to previous major mergers, long after the relaxation of the overall cluster. This phenomenon is absent with standard cold dark matter where a cuspy density profile keeps a BCG tightly bound at the centre. We test this hypothesis using cosmological simulations and deep observations of 10 galaxy clusters acting as strong gravitational lenses. Modelling the BCG wobble as a simple harmonic oscillator, we measure the wobble amplitude, Aw, in the BAHAMAS suite of cosmological hydrodynamical simulations, finding an upper limit for the cold dark matter paradigm of Aw < 2u2009kpc at the 95u2009peru2009cent confidence limit. We carry out the same test on the data finding a non-zero amplitude of Aw=11.82+7.3−3.0u2009kpc, with the observations dis-favouring Aw = 0 at the 3σ confidence level. This detection of BCG wobbling is evidence for a dark matter core at the heart of galaxy clusters. It also shows that strong lensing models of clusters cannot assume that the BCG is exactly coincident with the large-scale halo. While our small sample of galaxy clusters already indicates a non-zero Aw, with larger surveys, e.g. Euclid, we will be able to not only confirm the effect but also to use it to determine whether or not the wobbling finds its origin in new fundamental physics or astrophysical process.

Systematic or signal? How dark matter misalignments can bias strong lensing models of galaxy clusters

We explore how assuming that mass traces light in strong gravitational lensing models can lead to systematic errors in the predicted position of multiple images. Using a model based on the galaxy cluster MACS J0416 (z = 0.397) from the Hubble Frontier Fields, we split each galactic halo into a baryonic and dark matter component. We then shift the dark matter halo such that it no longer aligns with the baryonic halo and investigate how this affects the resulting position of multiple images. We find for physically motivated misalignments in dark halo position, ellipticity, position angle and density profile that multiple images can move on average by more than 0.2 arcsec with individual images moving greater than 1 arcsec. We finally estimate the full error induced by assuming that light traces mass and find that this assumption leads to an expected rms error of 0.5 arcsec, almost the entire error budget observed in the Frontier Fields. Given the large potential contribution from the assumption that light traces mass to the error budget in mass reconstructions, we predict that it should be possible to make a first significant detection and characterization of dark halo misalignments in the Hubble Frontier Fields with strong lensing. Finally, we find that it may be possible to detect similar to 1 kpc offsets between dark matter and baryons, the smoking gun for self-interacting dark matter, should the correct alignment of multiple images be observed.

A test for skewed distributions of dark matter, and a possible detection in galaxy cluster Abell 3827

Simulations of self-interacting dark matter predict that dark matter should lag behind galaxies during a collision. If the interaction is mediated by a high-mass force carrier, the distribution of dark matter can also develop asymmetric dark matter tails. To search for this asymmetry, we compute the gravitational lensing properties of a mass distribution with a free skewness parameter. We apply this to the dark matter around the four central galaxies in cluster Abell 3827. In the galaxy whose dark matter peak has previously been found to be offset, we tentatively measure a skewness ns=0.23+0.05−0.22 ns=0.23−0.22+0.05 n in the same direction as the peak offset. Our method may be useful in future gravitational lensing analyses of colliding galaxy clusters and merging galaxies.

Looking for dark matter trails in colliding galaxy clusters

If dark matter interacts, even weakly, via non-gravitational forces, simulations predict that it will be preferentially scattered towards the trailing edge of the halo during collisions between galaxy clusters. This will temporarily create a non-symmetric mass profile, with a trailing overdensity along the direction of motion. To test this hypothesis, we fit (and subtract) symmetric haloes to the weak gravitational data of 72 merging galaxy clusters observed with the Hubble Space Telescope. We convert the shear directly into excess. and project in to a one-dimensional profile. We generate numerical simulations and find that the one-dimensional profile is well described with simple Gaussian approximations. We detect the weak lensing signal of trailing gas at a 4 sigma confidence, finding a mean gas fraction of M-gas/M-dm = 0.13 +/- 0.035. We find no evidence for scattered dark matter particles with an estimated scattering fraction of f = 0.03 +/- 0.05. Finally, we find that if we can reduce the statistical error on the positional estimate of a single dark matter halo to < 2.5 arcsec, then we will be able to detect a scattering fraction of 10 per cent at the 3 sigma level with current surveys. This potentially interesting new method can provide an important independent test for other complimentary studies of the self-interaction cross-section of dark matter.

H0LiCOW VIII. - A weak-lensing measurement of the external convergence in the field of the lensed quasar HE 0435−1223

We present a weak gravitational lensing measurement of the external convergence along the line of sight to the quadruply lensed quasar HE 0435-1223. Using deep r-band images from Subaru Suprime Cam, we observe galaxies down to a 3 sigma limiting magnitude of similar to 26 mag resulting in a source galaxy density of 14 galaxies per square arcminute after redshift-based cuts. Using an inpainting technique and multiscale entropy filtering algorithm, we find that the region in close proximity to the lens has an estimated external convergence of kappa = -0.012(-0.013)(+0.020) and is hence marginally underdense. We also rule out the presence of any halo with a mass greater than M-vir = 1.6 x 10(14)h(-1)M(circle dot) (68 per cent confidence limit). Our results, consistent with previous studies of this lens, confirm that the intervening mass along the line of sight to HE0435-1223 does not affect significantly the cosmological results inferred from the time-delay measurements of that specific object.

Dark matter dynamics in Abell 3827: new data consistent with standard cold dark matter

We present integral field spectroscopy of galaxy cluster Abellu20093827, using Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA) and Very Large Telescope/Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer. It reveals an unusual configuration of strong gravitational lensing in the cluster core, with at least seven lensed images of a single background spiral galaxy. Lens modelling based on Hubble Space Telescope imaging had suggested that the dark matter associated with one of the clusters central galaxies may be offset. The new spectroscopic data enable better subtraction of foreground light, and better identification of multiple background images. The inferred distribution of dark matter is consistent with being centred on the galaxies, as expected by Λ cold dark matter. Each galaxys dark matter also appears to be symmetric. Whilst, we do not find an offset between mass and light (suggestive of self-interacting dark matter) as previously reported, the numerical simulations that have been performed to calibrate Abellu20093827 indicate that offsets and asymmetry are still worth looking for in collisions with particular geometries. Meanwhile, ALMA proves exceptionally useful for strong lens image identifications.

The shape of galaxy dark matter haloes in massive galaxy clusters: insights from strong gravitational lensing

We assess how much unused strong lensing information is available in the deep Hubble Space Telescope imaging and Very Large Telescope/Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer spectroscopy of the Frontier Field clusters. As a pilot study, we analyse galaxy cluster MACSu2009J0416.1−2403 (z = 0.397, M(R < 200u2009kpc) = 1.6 × 1014u2009M⊙), which has 141 multiple images with spectroscopic redshifts. We find that many additional parameters in a cluster mass model can be constrained, and that adding even small amounts of extra freedom to a model can dramatically improve its figures of merit. We use this information to constrain the distribution of dark matter around cluster member galaxies, simultaneously with the cluster’s large-scale mass distribution. We find tentative evidence that some galaxies’ dark matter has surprisingly similar ellipticity to their stars (unlike in the field, where it is more spherical), but that its orientation is often misaligned. When non-coincident dark matter and stellar haloes are allowed, the model improves by 35u2009peru2009cent. This technique may provide a new way to investigate the processes and time-scales on which dark matter is stripped from galaxies as they fall into a massive cluster. Our preliminary conclusions will be made more robust by analysing the remaining five Frontier Field clusters.