Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics – Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2009-11-11
Nature, Volume 463, pp. 203-206 (2010)
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
To appear on Nature. Includes Supplemental Information. A movie can be downloaded at http://www.astro.washington.edu/users/f
Scientific paper
For almost two decades the properties of "dwarf" galaxies have challenged the Cold Dark Matter (CDM) paradigm of galaxy formation. Most observed dwarf galaxies consists of a rotating stellar disc embedded in a massive DM halo with a near constant-density core. Yet, models based on the CDM scenario invariably form galaxies with dense spheroidal stellar "bulges" and steep central DM profiles, as low angular momentum baryons and DM sink to the center of galaxies through accretion and repeated mergers. Processes that decrease the central density of CDM halos have been identified, but have not yet reconciled theory with observations of present day dwarfs. This failure is potentially catastrophic for the CDM model, possibly requiring a different DM particle candidate. This Letter presents new hydrodynamical simulations in a Lambda$CDM framework where analogues of dwarf galaxies, bulgeless and with a shallow central DM profile, are formed. This is achieved by resolving the inhomogeneous interstellar medium, resulting in strong outflows from supernovae explosions which remove low angular momentum gas. This inhibits the formation of bulges and decreases the dark-matter density to less than half within the central kiloparsec. Realistic dwarf galaxies are thus shown to be a natural outcome of galaxy formation in the CDM scenario.
Brook Chris
Brooks Alyson
Governato Fabio
Jonsson Patrik
Madau Piero
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