Mathematics – Probability
Scientific paper
Jan 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011aas...21743001n&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #217, #430.01; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 43, 2011
Mathematics
Probability
Scientific paper
We study the spatial distribution of faint satellites of intermediate redshift (z between 0.1 and 0.8) early-type galaxies, selected from the GOODS fields. We combine high resolution HST images and state-of-the-art host subtraction techniques to detect satellites of unprecedented faintness and proximity to intermediate redshift host galaxies (up to 5.5 magnitudes fainter and as close as 0.5 arcseconds/2.5 kpc to the host centers). We model the spatial distribution of objects near the hosts as a combination of an isotropic, homogenous background/foreground population and a satellite population with a power law radial profile and an elliptical angular distribution. We detect a significant population of satellites with Ns=1.7 (+0.9,-0.8) that is comparable to the number of Milky Way satellites with similar host-satellite contrast. The average projected radial profile of the satellite distribution is isothermal with power gamma_p=-1.0 (+0.3,-0.4), which is consistent with the observed central mass density profile of massive early-type galaxies. Furthermore, the satellite distribution is highly anisotropic (isotropy is ruled out at a greater than 99.99% confidence level). Defining phi to be the offset between the major axis of the satellite spatial distribution and the major axis of the host light profile, we find a maximum posterior probability of phi=0 and phi less than 42 degrees at the 68% confidence level.
Auger Matthew W.
Fassnacht Chris D.
Marshall Jonathan P.
Nierenberg Anna
Treu Tommaso
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