Search

The dearth of dwarf galaxies in the local universe is hard to reconcile with the large number of low mass haloes expected within the concordance $\Lambda$CDM paradigm. In this paper we perform a systematic evaluation of the uncertainties affecting the measurement of DM halo abundance using galaxy kinematics. Using a large sample of dwarf galaxies with spatially resolved kinematic data we derive a correction to obtain the observed abundance of galaxies as a function of their halo maximum circular velocity from the line-of-sight velocity function in the Local Volume. This estimate provides a direct means of comparing the predictions of theoretical models and simulations (including nonstandard cosmologies and novel galaxy formation physics) to the observational constraints. The new "galactic $V_{max}$" function is steeper than the line-of-sight velocity function but still shallower than the theoretical CDM expectation, showing that some unaccounted physical process is necessary to reduce the abundance of galaxies and/or drastically modify their density profiles compared to CDM haloes. Using this new galactic $V_{max}$ function, we investigate the viability of baryonic solutions such as feedback-powered outflows and photoevaporation of gas from an ionising radiation background. At the 3-$\sigma$ confidence level neither energetic feedback nor photoevaporation are effective enough to reconcile the disagreement. In the case of maximum baryonic effects, the theoretical estimate still deviates significantly from the observations for $V_{max} < 60$ km/s. CDM predicts at least 1.8 times more galaxies with $V_{max} = 50$ km/s and 2.5 times more than observed at $30$ km/s. Recent hydrodynamic simulations seem to resolve the discrepancy but disagree with the properties of observed galaxies with resolved kinematics. (abridged), Comment: 17 pages, 22 figures; major revisions include clarification of the method, expanded comparison with simulations with a new figure, analysis of uncertainties in model as well as pressure support corrections, and a new table with nomenclature

The observed number of dwarf galaxies as a function of rotation velocity is significantly smaller than predicted by the standard model of cosmology. This discrepancy cannot be simply solved by assuming strong baryonic feedback processes, since they would violate the observed relation between maximum circular velocity (vmax) and baryon mass of galaxies. A speculative but tantalizing possibility is that the mismatch between observation and theory points towards the existence of non-cold or non-collisionless dark matter (DM). In this paper, we investigate the effects of warm (WDM), mixed (MDM, i.e. warm plus cold), and self-interacting DM (SIDM) scenarios on the abundance of dwarf galaxies and the relation between observed H I line width and maximum circular velocity. Both effects have the potential to alleviate the apparent mismatch between the observed and theoretical abundance of galaxies as a function of vmax. For the case of WDM and MDM, we show that the discrepancy disappears, even for lukewarm models that evade stringent bounds from the Lyman-α forest. SIDM scenarios can also provide a solution as long as they lead to extended (≳1.5 kpc) DM cores in the density profiles of dwarf galaxies. Only models with velocity-dependent cross-sections can yield such cores without violating other observational constraints at larger scales., Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 470 (2), ISSN:0035-8711, ISSN:1365-2966, ISSN:1365-8711

We describe a general Godunov-type splitting for numerical simulations of the Fisher–Kolmogorov–Petrovski–Piskunov growth and diffusion equation on a world map with Neumann boundary conditions. The procedure is semi-implicit, hence quite stable. Our principal application for this solver is modeling human population dispersal over geographical maps with changing paleovegetation and paleoclimate in the late Pleistocene. As a proxy for carrying capacity we use Net Primary Productivity (NPP) to predict times for human arrival in the Americas., PLoS ONE, 12 (1), ISSN:1932-6203

Individual-based models (IBMs) of human populations capture spatio-temporal dynamics using rules that govern the birth, behavior, and death of individuals. We explore a stochastic IBM of logistic growth-diffusion with constant time steps and independent, simultaneous actions of birth, death, and movement that approaches the Fisher-Kolmogorov model in the continuum limit. This model is well-suited to parallelization on high-performance computers. We explore its emergent properties with analytical approximations and numerical simulations in parameter ranges relevant to human population dynamics and ecology, and reproduce continuous-time results in the limit of small transition probabilities. Our model prediction indicates that the population density and dispersal speed are affected by fluctuations in the number of individuals. The discrete-time model displays novel properties owing to the binomial character of the fluctuations: in certain regimes of the growth model, a decrease in time step size drives the system away from the continuum limit. These effects are especially important at local population sizes of, PLoS ONE, 12 (4), ISSN:1932-6203

Merging has been proposed to explain multiple populations in globular clusters (GCs) where there is a spread in iron abundance (hereafter, iron-complex GCs). By means of N-body simulations, we investigate if merging is consistent with the observations of sub-populations and rotation in iron-complex GCs. The key parameters are the initial mass and density ratios of the progenitors. When densities are similar, the more massive progenitor dominates the central part of the merger remnant and the less massive progenitor forms an extended rotating population. The low-mass progenitor can become the majority population in the central regions of the merger remnant only if its initial density is higher by roughly the mass ratio. To match the radial distribution of multiple populations in two iron-complex GCs ({\omega} Cen and NGC 1851), the less massive progenitor needs to be four times as dense as the larger one. Our merger remnants show solid-body rotation in the inner parts, becoming differential in the outer parts. Rotation velocity V and ellipticity {\epsilon} are in agreement with models for oblate rotators with isotropic dispersion. We discuss several kinematic signatures of a merger with a denser lower mass progenitor that can be tested with future observations., Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS

The theoretical studies about galaxy formation and evolution are the subject of this Chapter. They started with the recognition that the Hubble sequence is not a simple morphological description of galaxies, but a possible scheme separating and characterizing the physical processes that bring galaxies to their present form. When the Hubble tuning fork reached its actual shape—around 1936 with the discovery of the S0 galaxies—, the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram that revealed the existence of the main sequence of stellar structures was already in place, but its explanation in terms of nuclear reactions was still to come (the p-p chain of Bethe appeared in 1939). Just before the end of the WWII the time was mature for the concept of stellar populations formulated by Baade, but only 􏰃 20 years later appeared the first monolithic collapse model of galaxies formation by Eggen et al. (1962). In 1964 Arno Penzias and Robert Woodrow Wilson measured the CMB radiation opening the way toward the current cosmological model. With the 1970s the idea that merging events have produced many of the actual galaxy structures appeared in the literature with the Toomre’ works. Leonard Searle and Robert Zinn proposed that galaxies form by the coalescence of smaller progenitors. At the same time the discovery of the existence of dark matter (DM) rapidly changed our idea of galaxies and how structures form in the Universe. White & Rees and Fall & Efstathiou developed the actual view of galaxy formation, in which baryons fall into the potential wells of hierarchically growing dark matter structures. The two decades 1980s–1990s have seen the development of Semi-Analytic Models (SAM) of galaxy formation and evolution and of numerical hydrodynamical simulations of increasing resolution and complexity. With the new century, the Universe was discovered to accelerate its expansion and thanks to the big redshift galaxy surveys the idea of the cosmic web started to be accepted. Today the dominating paradigm is that provided by the 􏰋CDM cosmology, a framework in which the Universe is believed to be composed of 􏰃 70% of dark energy (DE), 􏰃 26% of cold and hot DM, and 􏰃 4% of baryons. Within this model the values of the cosmological parameters, such as the Hubble expansion rate H0, are known with great accuracy. This is the precision cosmology era, a very awkward situation in which the cosmological parameters are known very well, but we do not know what the Universe is composed of. The following interviews go over some theoretical investigations that, along this century of extra-galactic research, tried to shed some light on the galaxy formation and evolution. Section 8.2 deals with the first attempts to simulate the Hubble tuning fork from basic physical principles. Then, in Sect.8.3 we better define the differences between the monolithic scenario of galaxy formation and the hierarchical scheme, introducing some hybrid versions of the two frameworks. In Sects. 8.4 and 8.5 we provide a much clear view of the star formation history, i.e. of the convolution of the Initial Mass Function (IMF) and the Star Formation Rate (SFR). The role of feedback is analyzed in Sect. 8.6, that of chemical enrichment in Sect. 8.7, and that of Magnetic Fields in Sect. 8.8. We finally propose a panoramic view of the comparisons between observations and models in Sect. 8.9.

The beauty and the charm of the Milky May (MW) have been celebrated by countless poets and writers of many Countries along the centuries (see e.g. the beautiful anthology of Piero Boitani [46]). The stellar nature of the MW was firstly observed by Galileo. In 1610 in the Sidereus Nuncius [126] Galileo wrote that the MW is “nient’altro che una congerie di innumerevoli Stelle, disseminate a mucchi; ch`e in qualunque regione di essa si diriga il cannocchiale, subito una ingente folla di Stelle si presenta alla vista, delle quali parecchi si vedono abbastanza grandi e molto distinte; ma la moltitudine delle piccole `e del tutto inesplorabile”. In the same paragraph, Galileo remarked that observations with his telescope, for the first time, wipe out centuries of philosophical discussions about the nature of the MW. Three more centuries have been necessary to complete a second radical Copernican Revolution that displaces the solar system from being roughly at the center of the MW and project this latter in the vast Universe populated by billions of similar spiral galaxies (see Chapter1). The first part of this Chapter is dedicated to the crescendo of studies that have progressively contributed to our understanding of the MW. Section 2.2, by James Lattis, reviews the fundamental step in recognizing the Galaxy as a “normal” spiral, before the WWII. Piet van der Kruit in Section 2.3, goes into the evolution of our knowledge of the MW structure and of kinematics. This Section, starting from the achievements of Jaan Ort in the 1920s about the Galaxy differential rotation, brings us to the modern view of theMWand how this reverberates in general on the understanding of spiral galaxies. The Galaxy is made by stars of different families. The fundamental concepts of stellar populations is introduced in Section 2.4 by Antonella Vallenari with an historical evolution up to the use of stars in the definition of MW structure and the clock they provide to understand the MW evolutionary path. The dust properties in the MW are discussed in Section 2.5 by Daniela Calzetti. The second part of the Chapter is dedicated to the problem of the extragalactic distance scale. As mentioned in Chapter 1 there was a long term debate on this issue that has seen two different schools of thought on opposite positions. Barry Madore introduces the debate about the determination of the distance scale and the use of adequate primary and secondary indicators for the purpose. The third part of the Chapter is dedicated to the nearby galaxies of theMWand to the exploration from inside of a gravitationally bound group of galaxies in an evolving environment. It is worth to mention that the MW and the companions in the socalled Local Group (LG) are basically the only galaxies we can study resolving their stellar components. In this sense, the MW and the LG galaxies are a sort of Rosetta stone for understanding extragalactic objects. They are of overwhelming importance even for understanding distant galaxies since among the recently discovered ultra faint dwarfs (UFD) might lurk the debris of first galaxies (see the contribution of Volker Bromm in Chapter 6. In Section 2.7 Valentina Karachentseva describes the population of galaxies members of the LG, their discovery along this century of research and their properties. A zoom on the Andromeda galaxy M31 is provided by Rodrigo Ibata in Section 2.7.1, while the dwarf galaxy populations, with the widest number of members in the LG is presented by Carme Gallart in Section 2.7.2. An overall view of the co-evolution of the galaxies members of the LG is presented in Section 2.8 by Rodrigo Ibata and Goerge Lake. In Section 2.9 Brent Tully brings us just outside the LG discussing the present view of the structure and motions in the nearby Universe. The Chapter closes with what we call the “lessons for the future” in Section 2.10. The road toward a modern vision of The Galaxy and a precise calibration of the galaxy distances was and remains hard.

We apply a new method to determine the local disc matter and dark halo matter density to kinematic and position data for \sim2000 K dwarf stars taken from the literature. Our method assumes only that the disc is locally in dynamical equilibrium, and that the 'tilt' term in the Jeans equations is small up to \sim1 kpc above the plane. We present a new calculation of the photometric distances to the K dwarf stars, and use a Monte Carlo Markov Chain to marginalise over uncertainties in both the baryonic mass distribution, and the velocity and distance errors for each individual star. We perform a series of tests to demonstrate that our results are insensitive to plausible systematic errors in our distance calibration, and we show that our method recovers the correct answer from a dynamically evolved N-body simulation of the Milky Way. We find a local dark matter density of {\rho}dm = 0.025+0.014-0.013 M\odotpc^{-3} (0.95+0.53-0.49 GeV cm^{-3}) at 90% confidence assuming no correction for the non-flatness of the local rotation curve, and {\rho}dm = 0.022+0.015-0.013 M\odotpc^-3 (0.85+0.57-0.50 GeV cm^{-3}) if the correction is included. Our 90% lower bound on {\rho}dm is larger than the canonical value typically assumed in the literature, and is at mild tension with extrapolations from the rotation curve that assume a spherical halo. Our result can be explained by a larger normalisation for the local Milky Way rotation curve, an oblate dark matter halo, a local disc of dark matter, or some combination of these.

Stellar streams provide unique probes of galactic potentials, with the longer streams normally providing the cleaner measurements. In this paper, we show an example of a short tidal stream that is particularly sensitive to the shape of the Milky Way's dark matter halo: the globular cluster tidal stream NGC 5466. This stream has an interesting deviation from a smooth orbit at its western edge. We show that such a deviation favours an underlying oblate or triaxial halo (irrespective of plausible variations in the Milky Way disc properties and the specific halo parametrisation chosen); spherical or prolate halo shapes can be excluded at a high confidence level. Therefore, more extensive data sets along the NGC 5466 tidal stream promise strong constraints on the Milky Way halo shape.

We have computed trajectories, distances and times of closest approaches to the Sun by stars in the Solar neighbourhood with known position, radial velocity and proper motions. For this purpose we have used a full potential model of the Galaxy that reproduces the local z-force, the Oort constants, the local escape velocity, and the rotation curve of the Galaxy. From our sample we constructed initial conditions, within observational uncertainties, with a Monte Carlo scheme for the twelve most suspicious candidates because of their small tangential motion. We find that the star Gliese 710 will have the closest approach to the Sun, with a distance of approximately 0.34 pc at 1.36 Myr in the future. We show that the effect of a flyby with the characteristics of Gliese 710 on a 100 AU test particle disk representing the Solar system is negligible. However, since there is a lack of 6D data for a large percentage of stars in the Solar neighbourhood, closer approaches may exist. We calculate parameters of passing stars that would cause noticeable effects on the Solar disk. Regarding the birth cloud of the Sun, we performed experiments to reproduce roughly the observed orbital parameters such as eccentricities and inclinations of the Kuiper Belt. It is known now that in Galactic environments, such as stellar formation regions, the stellar densities of new born stars, are high enough to produce close encounters within 200 AU. Moreover, in these Galactic environments, the velocity dispersion is relatively low, typically approximately 1-3 km s-1.We find that with a velocity dispersion of approximately 1 km s-1 and an approach distance of about 150 AU, typical of these regions, we obtain approximately the eccentricities and inclinations seen in the current Solar system. Simple analytical calculations of stellar encounters effects on the Oort cloud are presented.

We revisit systematics in determining the local dark matter density (rho_dm) from the vertical motion of stars in the Solar Neighbourhood. Using a simulation of a Milky Way-like galaxy, we determine the data-quality required to detect the dark matter density at its expected local value. We introduce a new method for recovering rho_dm that uses moments of the Jeans equations, combined with a Monte Carlo Markov Chain technique to marginalise over the unknown parameters. Given sufficiently good data, we show that our method can recover the correct local dark matter density even in the face of disc inhomogeneities, non-isothermal tracers and a non-separable distribution function. We illustrate the power of our technique by applying it to Hipparcos data [Holmberg & Flynn 2000,2004]. We first make the assumption that the A and F star tracer populations are isothermal. This recovers rho_dm=0.003^{+0.009}_{-0.007}Msun/pc^3 (with 90 per cent confidence), consistent with previous determinations. However, the vertical dispersion profile of these tracers is poorly known. If we assume instead a non-isothermal profile similar to the blue disc stars from SDSS DR-7 [Abazajian et al. 2009] measured by Bond et al. (2009), we obtain a fit with a very similar chi^2 value, but with rho_dm=0.033^{+0.008}_{-0.009}Msun/pc^3 (with 90 per cent confidence). This highlights that it is vital to measure the vertical dispersion profile of the tracers to recover an unbiased estimate of the local dark matter density.

We trace the evolution of central galaxies in three ~10^13 M_sun galaxy groups simulated at high resolution in cosmological hydrodynamical simulations. The evolution in the group potential leads, at z=0, to central galaxies that are massive, gas-poor early-type systems supported by stellar velocity dispersion resembling either elliptical or S0 galaxies. Their z~2-2.5 main progenitors are massive M* ~ 3-10 x 10^10 M_sun, star forming (20-60 M_sun/yr) galaxies which host substantial reservoirs of cold gas (~5 x 10^9 M_sun) in extended gas disks. Our simulations thus show that star forming galaxies observed at z~2 are likely the main progenitors of central galaxies in galaxy groups at z=0. Their central stellar densities stay approximately constant from z~1.5 down to z=0. Instead, the galaxies grow inside-out, by acquiring a stellar envelope outside the innermost ~2 kpc. Consequently the density within the effective radius decreases by up to two orders of magnitude. Both major and minor mergers contribute to most of the mass accreted outside the effective radius and thus drive the evolution of the half-mass radii. In one of the three simulated groups the short central cooling time leads to a dramatic rejuvenation of the central group galaxy at z, 28 pages, 23 figures, 9 tables, accepted to APJ (revised to match accepted version)

As disc galaxies form in a hierarchical cosmology, massive merging satellites are preferentially dragged towards the disc plane. The material accreted from these satellites forms a dark matter disc that contributes 0.25 - 1.5 times the non-rotating halo density at the solar position. Here, we show the importance of the dark disc for indirect dark matter detection in neutrino telescopes. Previous predictions of the neutrino flux from WIMP annihilation in the Earth and the Sun have assumed that Galactic dark matter is spherically distributed with a Gaussian velocity distribution, the standard halo model. Although the dark disc has a local density comparable to the dark halo, its higher phase space density at low velocities greatly enhances capture rates in the Sun and Earth. For typical dark disc properties, the resulting muon flux from the Earth is increased by three orders of magnitude over the SHM, while for the Sun the increase is an order of magnitude. This significantly increases the sensitivity of neutrino telescopes to fix or constrain parameters in WIMP models. The flux from the Earth is extremely sensitive to the detailed properties of the dark disc, while the flux from the Sun is more robust. The enhancement of the muon flux from the dark disc puts the search for WIMP annihilation in the Earth on the same level as the Sun for WIMP masses < 100 GeV., 7 pages, 4 figures, added a short paragraph to the discussion section, conclusions unchanged, published version

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 392 (1), ISSN:0035-8711, ISSN:1365-2966, ISSN:1365-8711

We use numerical simulations in a ACDM cosmology to model density profiles in a set of 16 dark matter haloes with resolutions of up to seven million particles within the virial radius. These simulations allow us to follow robustly the formation and evolution of the central cusp over a large mass range of 10 11 -10 14 M○., down to approximately 0.5 per cent of the virial radius, and from redshift of 5 to the present, covering a larger range in parameter space than previous works. We confirm that the cusp of the density profile is set at redshifts of 2 or greater and remains remarkably stable to the present time, when considered in non-comoving coordinates. Motivated by the diversity and evolution of halo profile shapes, we fit our haloes to the two-parameter profile, p oc 1/((c γ r/r vir ) γ [1 + (c γ r/r vir )] 3-γ }, where the steepness of the cusp is given by the asymptotic inner slope parameter, y, and its radial extent is described by the concentration parameter, c γ (with c γ defined as the virial radius divided by the concentration radius). In our simulations, we find γ ≃ 1.4 - 0.08 log 10 (M/M*) for haloes of 0.01 M*-1000 M*, with a large scatter of Δγ ∼ ±0.3, where M* is the redshift dependent characteristic mass of collapsing haloes; and c γ ≃ 8.(M/M*) -0.15 , with a large M/M* dependent scatter roughly equal to ± cy. Our redshift zero haloes have inner slope parameters ranging approximately from r -1 (Navarro, Frank and White) to r -1.5 (Moore et al.), with a median of roughly r- 1.3 . This two-parameter profile fit works well for all types of haloes in our simulations, whether or not they show evidence of a steep asymptotic cusp. We also model a cluster in power-law cosmologies of P k n , with n = (0, -1, -2, -2.7). Here we find that the concentration radius and the inner cusp slope are both a function of n, with larger concentration radii and shallower cusps for steeper power spectra. We have completed a thorough resolution study and find that the minimum resolved radius is well described by the mean interparticle separation over a range of masses and redshifts. The trend of steeper and more concentrated cusps for smaller M/M* haloes clearly shows that dwarf-sized ACDM haloes have, on average, significantly steeper density profiles within the inner few per cent of the virial radius than inferred from recent observations. Code to reproduce this profile can be downloaded from http://www.icc.dur.ac.uk/ ∼reed/profile.html.

We simulate the formation of a realistic disk galaxy within the hierarchical scenario of structure formation and study its internal properties to the present epoch. We compare results from a LambdaCDM simulation with a LambdaWDM (2keV) simulation that forms significantly less small scale structure. We show how high mass and force resolution in both the gas and dark matter components play an important role in solving the angular momentum catastrophe claimed from previous simulations of galaxy formation within the hierarchical framework. The stellar material in the disk component has a final specific angular momentum equal to 40% and 90% of that of the dark halo in the LambdaCDM and LambdaWDM models respectively. The LambdaWDM galaxy has a drastically reduced satellite population and a negligible stellar spheroidal component. Encounters with satellites play only a minor role in disturbing the disk. Satellites possess a variety of star formation histories linked to mergers and pericentric passages along their orbit around the primary galaxy. In both cosmologies, the galactic halo retains most of the baryons accreted and builds up a hot gas phase with a substantial X-ray emission. Therefore, while we have been successful in creating a realistic stellar disk in a massive galaxy within the LambdaCDM scenario, energy injection emerges as necessary ingredient to reduce the baryon fraction in galactic halos, independent of the cosmology adopted. (abridged), ApJ in press. Images and movies at http://hpcc.astro.washington.edu/faculty/fabio/galform.html Significantly expanded revised version. (9 pages vs the original 4)

Metal poor globular clusters (MPGCs) are a unique probe of the early universe, in particular the reionization era. Systems of globular clusters in galaxy clusters are particularly interesting as it is in the progenitors of galaxy clusters that the earliest reionizing sources first formed. Although the exact physical origin of globular clusters is still debated, it is generally admitted that globular clusters form in early, rare dark matter peaks (Moore et al. 2006; Boley et al. 2009). We provide a fully numerical analysis of the Virgo cluster globular cluster system by identifying the present day globular cluster system with exactly such early, rare dark matter peaks. A popular hypothesis is that that the observed truncation of blue metal poor globular cluster formation is due to reionization (Spitler et al. 2012; Boley et al. 2009; Brodie & Strader 2006); adopting this view, constraining the formation epoch of MPGCs provides a complementary constraint on the epoch of reionization. By analyzing both the line of sight velocity dispersion and the surface density distribution of the present day distribution we are able to constrain the redshift and mass of the dark matter peaks. We find and quantify a dependence on the chosen line of sight of these quantities, whose strength varies with redshift, and coupled with star formation efficiency arguments find a best fitting formation mass and redshift of $\simeq 5 \times 10^8 \rm{M}_\odot$ and $z\simeq 9$. We predict $\simeq 300$ intracluster MPGCs in the Virgo cluster. Our results confirm the techniques pioneered by Moore et al. (2006) when applied to the the Virgo cluster and extend and refine the analytic results of Spitler et al. (2012) numerically., 13 Pages, 13 Figures, submitted to MNRAS

We present results from high-resolution Tree+SPH simulations of galaxy clusters and groups, aimed at studying the effect of non-gravitational heating on the entropy of the ICM. We simulate three systems, having emission-weighted temperature T=0.6,1 and 3 keV, with spatial resolution better than 1% of the virial radius. We consider the effect of different prescriptions for non-gravitational ICM heating, such as SN energy feedback, as predicted by semi-analytical models of galaxy formation, and two different minimum entropy floors, S_fl=50 and 100 keV cm^2, imposed at z=3. Simulations with only gravitational heating nicely reproduce predictions from self-similar ICM models, while extra heating is shown to break the self-similarity, by a degree which depends on total injected energy and on cluster mass. We use observational results on the excess entropy in central regions of galaxy systems, to constrain the amount of extra-heating required. We find that setting the entropy floor S_fl=50 keV cm^2, which corresponds to an extra heating energy of about 1 keV per particle, is able to reproduce the observed excess of ICM entropy.

We describe a new direct numerical method for simulating planetesimal dynamics in which N ∼10 6 or more bodies can be evolved simultaneously in three spatial dimensions over hundreds of dynamical times. This represents several orders of magnitude improvement in resolution over previous studies. The advance is made possible through modification of a stable and tested cosmological code optimized for massively parallel computers. However, owing to the excellent scalability and portability of the code, modest clusters of workstations can treat problems with N ∼10 5 particles in a practical fashion. The code features algorithms for detection and resolution of collisions and takes into account the strong central force field and flattened Keplerian disk geometry of planetesimal systems. We demonstrate the range of problems that can be addressed by presenting simulations that illustrate oligarchic growth of protoplanets, planet formation in the presence of giant planet perturbations, the formation of the jovian moons, and orbital migration via planetesimal scattering. We also describe methods under development for increasing the timescale of the simulations by several orders of magnitude.

Higher order statistics are investigated in ($\Omega$)CDM universes by analyzing $500\mpc$ high resolution tree N-body simulations with both $\Omega = 1$, and $\Omega < 1$. The amplitudes of the N-point correlation functions are calculated from moments of counts-in-cells determined by a pair of new algorithms especially developed for large simulations. This approach enables massive oversampling with $\simeq 10^{9-14}$ cells for accurate determination of factorial moments from up to 47 million particles in the scale range of $8 \kpc - 125\mpc$. Thorough investigation shows that there are three scale ranges in the simulations: $\ge 8\mpc$, weakly non-linear regime, where perturbation theory applies with utmost precision, $1\mpc - 8\mpc$, the non-linear plateau, and finally $\le 1\mpc$, a regime where dynamical discreteness effects dominate the higher order statistics. In the physically relevant range of $1\mpc-125\mpc$ the results i) confirm the validity of perturbation theory in the weakly non-linear regime, ii) establish the existence of a plateau in the highly non-linear regime similar to the one observed in scale free simulations iii) show extended perturbation theory to be an excellent approximation for the non-linear regime iv) find the time dependence of the $S_N$'s to be negligible in both regimes v) in comparison with similar measurements in the EDSGC survey, strongly support $\Omega < 1$ with no biasing vi) show that the formulae of Szapudi & Colombi (1996) provide a good approximation for errors on higher order statistics measured in N-body simulations.

We examine the distributions of eccentricities of orbits within mass distributions like those we see for galaxies and clusters. A comprehensive understanding of these orbital properties is essential to calculate the rates of physical processes relevant to the formation and evolution of galaxies and clusters. We derive the orbital eccentricity distributions for a number of spherical potentials. These distributions depend strongly on the velocity anisotropy, but only slightly on the shape of the potential. We also present high resolution N-body simulations of the orbital decay of satellite systems on eccentric orbits in an isothermal halo. The dynamical friction timescales are found to decrease with increasing orbital eccentricity, but the dependence is weaker than previously suggested. The orbital eccentricity stays remarkably constant throughout the decay; although the eccentricity decreases near pericenter, it increases again near apocenter, such that there is no net circularization. Finally, we discuss a number of applications. We find that the distribution of orbital eccentricities of the globular clusters in the Milky Way is consistent with a close to isotropic velocity distribution. The limited data on the galactic system of satellites, however, appears to be different and warrants further investigation as a clue to the formation and evolution of our Milky Way and its halo substructure., 47 pages, 17 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ

Using cosmological N-body simulations of critical and open cold dark matter (CDM) models, we have identified galaxy-sized dark matter halos originated by major binary mergers. Remnants of major merging events between redshift z = 1 and the present have typically not yet been accreted into groups and clusters, and hence they can be linked to bright early-type field galaxies. The rate of formation of binary merger remnants is 1.9 ×10-13(1 + z)3.1±0.2 and 1.6 ×10-14(1 + z)2.5±0.4 h3 Mpc-3 yr-1 for a critical tilted CDM and an open CDM model, respectively. The average age of these merger remnants is about 6 Gyr, 40% of the age of the universe. In an open universe, field early-type galaxies formed at z < 1 by major mergers would account for only ~5% of the total population of early-type galaxies. This fraction is much higher (~55%) in critical models. These results are discussed together with present observational constraints.

We follow the evolution of disk galaxies within a cluster that forms hierarchically in a standard cold dark matter N-body simulation. At a redshift z=0.5 we select several dark matter halos that have quiet merger histories and are about to enter the newly forming cluster environment. The halos are replaced with equilibrium high resolution model spirals that are constructed to represent luminous examples of low surface brightness (LSB) and high surface brightness (HSB) galaxies. Whilst the models have the same total luminosity, \sim L_*, they have very different internal mass profiles, core radii and disk scale lengths, however they all lie at the same place on the Tully-Fisher relation. Due to their ``soft'' central potentials, LSB galaxies evolve dramatically under the influence of rapid encounters with dark matter halos, substructure and strong tidal shocks from the global cluster potential - galaxy harassment. As much as 90% of the LSB disk stars are tidally stripped and congregate in large diffuse tails that trace the orbital path of the galaxy and form the diffuse intra-cluster light. The bound stellar remnants closely resemble the dwarf spheroidals (dE's) that populate nearby clusters, with large scale lengths and low central surface brightness., Comment: IAU Colloquium 171, "The Low Surface Brightness Universe", Cardiff

We look at two mechanisms that connect the global structure of galaxies to the central engine of an AGN: triaxiality and dynamical chaos. Dynamical chaos includes “clumpy” galaxy formation, galaxy merging and “galaxy harassment”. We note that these three sources of dynamical chaos are the proposed mechanisms for the origin of ellipticals and bulges, which is particularly intriguing in the light of the recently claimed correlation between bulge mass and black hole mass. Additionally, the presence of a vast variety of mechanisms to feed AGNs, and thus to grow central BHs, predicts a reasonable amount of scatter in any such correlation. Focussing on the secure detections of BHs, clear evidence for large amounts of scatter are indeed found. We focus on our recent proposal that the continual bombardment of disk galaxies by other galaxies in a rich cluster, “galaxy harassment”, provides an extremely effective mechanism to fuel a central quasar in sub -L ∗ galaxies. Within a few billion years after a small disk galaxy enters the cluster environment, up to 90% of its gas can be driven into the inner 500 pc. The efficiency of this mechanism is comparable to or even larger than previously proposed mechanisms. Galaxy harassment was first proposed to explain the disturbed blue galaxies seen in clusters at z ≳ 0.3: recent theoretical work has shown that the infall rate of field galaxies into clusters peaks at redshifts of 0.3-0.5. Two observations suggest that galaxy harassment may also be the dominant mechanism for feeding AGNs at intermediate redshifts. Firstly, quasars at such redshifts lie in more clustered environments than those at lower redshift. Secondly, recent HST observations find that roughly half of all observed quasar host galaxies are fainter than L ∗ , with many of these less luminous hosts occurring at redshifts z ≳ 0.3.

The origin of the Hubble sequence remains a long-standing puzzle in astronomy. Giant galaxies range from slowly-rotating dense ellipticals to thin late-type spiral disks. At the faint end, there are two distinct classes of “ellipticals/spheroids” that are easily separated in plots of nearly any two of their properties, such as central surface brightness versus luminosity (Ferguson and Binggeli 1994; Kormendy 1985). The elliptical class includes the bright giants and extends to the rare high surface brightness “dwarf ellipticals”, M32 being the prototype. The “spheroidal” galaxies have low surface brightnesses and are all ≳3 magnitudes fainter than L∗, the characteristic break in the luminosity function. The dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSph) in our Local Group of galaxies with magnitudes in the range −8≳MB≳ - 12 are often considered to be the low luminosity extreme of this sequence, but nearly all other known galaxies in this class reside in clusters.

We have simulated disk galaxies undergoing continual bombardment by other galaxies in a rich cluster. "Galaxy harassment" leads to dramatic evolution of smaller disk galaxies and provides an extremely effective mechanism to fuel a central quasar. Within a few billion years after a small disk galaxy enters the cluster environment, up to 90% of its gas can be driven into the inner 500 pc. Up to half of the mass can be transferred in a burst lasting just 100-200 Myr. This transport of gas to the center of galaxy is far more efficient than any mechanism proposed before. Galaxy harassment was first proposed to explain the disturbed blue galaxies in clusters seen in clusters at ($z \gsim 0.3$), the "Butcher-Oemler effect". Quasars at the same reshifts lie in more clustered environments than those at lower redshift. Recent HST observations find that roughly half of all observed quasar host galaxiess are fainter than ��*, with many of these less luminous hosts occuring at redshifts $z \gsim 0.3$. We examine 5 quasars that are claimed to have low luminosity hosts and find that 3 are in rich clusters of galaxies, the fourth may be in a cluster but the evidence for this is marginal. The environment of the fifth has not been studied., Final version, to be published in the Ap.J. 1998, video edition with the "Galaxy Harassment" movie

Tidal streams are a powerful probe of the Milky Way (MW) potential shape. In this paper, we introduce a simple test particle method to fit stream data, using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo technique to marginalise over uncertainties in the progenitor's orbit and the Milky Way halo shape parameters. Applying it to mock data of thin streams in the MW halo, we show that, even for very cold streams, stream-orbit offsets - not modelled in our simple method - introduce systematic biases in the recovered shape parameters. For the streams that we consider, and our particular choice of potential parameterisation, these errors are of order ~20% on the halo flattening parameters. However, larger systematic errors can arise for more general streams and potentials; such offsets need to be correctly modelled in order to obtain an unbiased recovery of the underlying potential. Assessing which of the known Milky Way streams are most constraining, we find NGC 5466 and Pal 5 are the most promising candidates. These form an interesting pair as their orbital planes are both approximately perpendicular to each other and to the disc, giving optimal constraints on the MW halo shape. We show that - while with current data their constraints on potential parameters are poor - good radial velocity data along the Pal 5 stream will provide constraints on qz - the flattening perpendicular to the disc. Furthermore, as discussed in a companion paper, NGC 5466 can provide rather strong constraints on the MW halo shape parameters, if the tentative evidence for a departure from the smooth orbit towards its western edge is confirmed., 13 pages, 10 Figures, minor changes with respect to previous version, accepted at MNRAS

Every Galactic environment is characterized by a stellar density and a velocity dispersion. With this information from literature, we simulated flyby encounters for several Galactic regions, numerically calculating stellar trajectories as well as orbits for particles in disks; our aim was to understand the effect of typical stellar flybys on planetary (debris) disks in the Milky Way Galaxy. For the Solar neighborhood, we examined nearby stars with known distance, proper motions, and radial velocities. We found occurrence of a disturbing impact to the Solar planetary disk within the next 8 Myr to be highly unlikely; perturbations to the Oort cloud seem unlikely as well. Current knowledge of the full phase space of stars in the Solar neighborhood, however, is rather poor, and thus we cannot rule out the existence of a star that is more likely to approach than those for which we have complete kinematic information. We studied the effect of stellar encounters on planetary orbits within the habitable zones of stars in more crowded stellar environments, such as stellar clusters. We found that in open clusters habitable zones are not readily disrupted; this is true if they evaporate in less than 108 years. For older clusters the results may not be the same. We specifically studied the case of Messier 67, one of the oldest open clusters known, and show the effect of this environment on debris disks. We also considered the conditions in globular clusters, the Galactic nucleus, and the Galactic bulge-bar. We calculated the probability of whether Oort clouds exist in these Galactic environments., Accepted in ASTROBIOLOGY. Volume 13, Number 5, 2013

For nearly 20 years, we've known that clusters at z≳0.3 have a substantial population of “blue galaxies” seen only as fuzzy blobs in ground based images (Butcher & Oemler 1978, 1984). Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images reveal that these “fuzzy blue blobs” are low luminosity, often disturbed, spiral galaxies “Sp” (Dressier et al 1994a,b, Couch et al 1994). Today, rich galaxy clusters are dominated by elliptical “E” and lenticular “S0” galaxies (Dressier 1980), mostly low luminosity dwarfs.

We examine systematic problems in determining the local matter density from the vertical motion of stars, i.e. the 'Oort limit'. Using collisionless simulations and a Monte Carlo Markov Chain technique, we determine the data quality required to detect local dark matter at its expected density. We find that systematic errors are more important than observational errors and apply our technique to Hipparcos data to reassign realistic error bars to the local dark matter density., Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure, to be published in "Hunting for the Dark: The Hidden Side of Galaxy Formation", Malta, 19-23 Oct. 2009, eds. V.P. Debattista & C.C. Popescu, AIP Conf. Ser

We place constraints on the formation redshifts for blue globular clusters (BGCs), independent of the details of hydrodynamics and population III star formation. The observed radial distribution of BGCs in the Milky Way Galaxy suggests that they formed in biased dark matter halos at high redshift. As a result, simulations of a ~1 Mpc box up to z~10 must resolve BGC formation in LCDM. We find that most halo stars could be produced from destroyed BGCs and other low-mass clusters that formed at high redshift. We present a proof-of-concept simulation that captures the formation of globular-like star clusters.

The Magellanic Clouds were the largest members of a group of dwarf galaxies that entered the Milky Way (MW) halo at late times. This group, dominated by the LMC, contained ~4% of the mass of the Milky Way prior to its accretion and tidal disruption, but ~70% of the known dwarfs orbiting the MW. Our theory addresses many outstanding problems in galaxy formation associated with dwarf galaxies. First, it can explain the planar orbital configuration populated by some dSphs in the MW. Second, it provides a mechanism for lighting up a subset of dwarf galaxies to reproduce the cumulative circular velocity distribution of the satellites in the MW. Finally, our model predicts that most dwarfs will be found in association with other dwarfs. The recent discovery of Leo V (Belokurov et al. 2008), a dwarf spheroidal companion of Leo IV, and the nearby dwarf associations supports our hypothesis., Comment: Contributed talk to IAU Symposium 256: "The Magellanic System: Stars, Gas, and Galaxies"

In LambdaCDM, massive satellites are dragged into the disk-plane by dynamical friction where they dissolve into a stellar thick disk and a more massive dark matter disk. The distinctive kinematics of the dark disk matches the stars that also entered in the satellites. The lower velocities of the dark disk with respect to the Earth enhances detection rates at low recoil energy. For WIMP masses > 50 GeV/c^2, the detection rate increases by up to a factor of 3 in the 5 - 20 keV recoil energy range. Comparing this with rates at higher energy will improve constraints on the WIMP mass, particularly for masses > 100 GeV/c^2. The annual modulation signal of the dark disk is significantly boosted and its modulation phase is shifted by ~3 weeks relative to the dark halo. The variation of the observed phase with recoil energy can also be used to determine the WIMP mass once the dark disk properties are fixed by future astronomical surveys. The constraints on the WIMP interaction cross section from current experiments improve by factors of 1.4 to 3.5 when a typical contribution from the dark disk is included., 4 pages, 6 figures, added a figure, small corrections in the text, conclusions unchanged, ApJ published version

Making robust predictions for the phase space distribution of dark matter at the solar neighbourhood is vital for dark matter direct detection experiments. To date, almost all such predictions have been based on simulations that model the dark matter alone. Here, we use three cosmological hydrodynamics simulations of bright, disc dominated galaxies to include the effects of baryonic matter self-consistently for the first time. We find that the addition of baryonic physics drastically alters the dark matter profile in the vicinity of the Solar neighbourhood. A stellar/gas disc, already in place at high redshift, causes merging satellites to be dragged preferentially towards the disc plane where they are torn apart by tides. This results in an accreted dark matter disc that contributes ~0.25 - 1.5 times the non-rotating halo density at the solar position. The dark disc, unlike dark matter streams, is an equilibrium structure that must exist in disc galaxies that form in a hierarchical cosmology. Its low rotation lag with respect to the Earth significantly boosts WIMP capture in the Earth and Sun, boosts the annual modulation signal, and leads to distinct variations in the flux as a function of recoil energy that allow the WIMP mass to be determined., Comment: Final version accepted for publication in MNRAS; only minor changes from previous version

Cold dark matter (CDM) hierarchical structure formation models predict the existence of large-scale accretion shocks between the virial and turnaround radii of clusters of galaxies. Kocsis et al. (2005) suggest that the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) signal associated with such shocks might be observable with the next generation radio interferometer, ALMA. We study the three--dimensional distribution of accretion shocks around individual clusters of galaxies drawn from adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) and smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations of LCDM (dark energy dominated CDM) models. In relaxed clusters, we find two distinct sets of shocks. One set ("virial shocks"), with Mach numbers of 2.5-4, is located at radii 0.9-1.3 Rvir, where Rvir is the spherical infall estimate of the virial radius, covering about 40-50% of the total surface area around clusters at these radii. Another set of stronger shocks ("external shocks") is located farther out, at about 3 Rvir, with large Mach numbers (~100), covering about 40-60% of the surface area. We simulate SZ surface brightness maps of relaxed massive galaxy clusters drawn from high resolution AMR runs, and conclude that ALMA should be capable of detecting the virial shocks in massive clusters of galaxies. More simulations are needed to improve estimates of astrophysical noise and to determine optimal observational strategies., Comment: 41 pages including 11 figures and 2 tables; ApJ, in press

In hierarchical structure formation models of disk galaxies, a dark matter disk forms as massive satellites are preferentially dragged into the disk-plane where they dissolve. Here, we quantify the importance of this dark disk for direct and indirect dark matter detection. The low velocity of the dark disk with respect to the Earth enhances detection rates in direct detection experiments at low recoil energy. For WIMP masses M_{WIMP} >~ 50 GeV, the detection rate increases by up to a factor of 3 in the 5 - 20 keV recoil energy range. Comparing this with rates at higher energy is sensitive to M_{WIMP}, providing stronger mass constraints particularly for M_{WIMP}>~100 GeV. The annual modulation signal is significantly boosted by the dark disk and the modulation phase is shifted by ~3 weeks relative to the dark halo. The variation of the observed phase with recoil energy determines M_{WIMP}, once the dark disk properties are fixed by future astronomical surveys. The low velocity of the particles in the dark disk with respect to the solar system significantly enhances the capture rate of WIMPs in the Sun, leading to an increased flux of neutrinos from the Sun which could be detected in current and future neutrino telescopes. The dark disk contribution to the muon flux from neutrino back conversion at the Earth is increased by a factor of ~5 compared to the SHM, for rho_d/rho_h=0.5., 5 pages, 7 figures, To appear in the proceedings of Identification of Dark Matter 2008 (IDM2008), Stockholm, 18-22 August 2008; corrected one reference

We consider the possibility that the Magellanic Clouds were the largest members of a group of dwarf galaxies that entered the Milky Way (MW) halo at late times. Seven of the eleven brightest satellites of the MW may have been part of this system. The proximity of some dwarfs to the plane of the orbit of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) has been used to argue that they formed from tidal debris from the LMC and Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). Instead, they may owe to the tidal breakup of the Magellanic Group. This can explain the association of many of the dwarf galaxies in the Local Group with the LMC system. It provides a mechanism for lighting up dwarf galaxies and reproduces the bright end of the cumulative circular velocity distribution of the satellites in the MW without invoking a stripping scenario for the subhalos to match the satellite distribution expected according to CDM theory. Finally, our model predicts that other isolated dwarfs will be found to have companions. Evidence for this prediction is provided by nearby, recently discovered dwarf associations., Comment: ApJ Letters in press

In a LCDM cosmology, the Milky Way accretes satellites into the stellar disc. We use cosmological simulations to assess the frequency of near disc plane and higher inclination accretion events, and collisionless simulations of satellite mergers to quantify the final state of the accreted material and the effect on the thin disc. On average, a Milky Way-sized galaxy has 3 subhalos with vmax>80km/s; 7 with vmax>60km/s; and 15 with vmax>40km/s merge at redshift z>1. Assuming isotropic accretion, a third of these merge at an impact angle 20 degrees) are twice as likely as low inclination ones. These lead to structures that closely resemble the recently discovered inner/outer stellar halos. They also do more damage to the Milky Way stellar disc creating a more pronounced flare, and warp; both long-lived and consistent with current observations. The most massive mergers (vmax>80km/s) heat the thin disc enough to produce a thick disc. These heated thin disc stars are essential for obtaining a thick disc as massive as that seen in the Milky Way; they likely comprise some ~50-90% of the thick disc stars. The Milky Way thin disc must reform from fresh gas after z=1 [abridged]., 19 pages; 14 figures. Accepted version to appear in MNRAS. Improved halo finding led to a slight increase in subhalo masses at high redshift; conclusions unaltered

Predicting the flux of dark matter particles through the Earth is vital for current and future direct dark matter detection experiments. To date, such predictions have been based on simulations that model the dark matter alone. Here we make the first attempt to include the influence of the baryonic matter. We show that the presence of a stellar/gas disc at high redshift (z ∼ 1) causes merging satellites to be preferentially dragged towards the disc plane. This results in an accreted stellar disc, and a dark matter disc that contributes PDDISO = 0.25-1 ρHALO at the solar position. Although not likely to be dynamically interesting, the dark disc has important implications for the direct detection of dark matter because of its low velocity with respect to the Earth. (Less)

Using analytic calculations and N-body simulations we show that in constant density (harmonic) cores, sinking satellites undergo an initial phase of very rapid (super-Chandrasekhar) dynamical friction, after which they experience no dynamical friction at all. For density profiles with a central power law profile of log-slope, $-\alpha$, the infalling satellite heats the background and causes $\alpha$ to decrease. For $\alpha < 0.5$ initially, the satellite generates a small central constant density core and stalls as in the $\alpha = 0$ case. We discuss some astrophysical applications of our results to decaying satellite orbits, galactic bars and mergers of supermassive black hole binaries. In a companion paper we show that a central constant density core can provide a natural solution to the timing problem for Fornax's globular clusters., Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures. Final version accepted for publication in MNRAS

We construct mock galaxy catalogues to analyse clustering properties of a Lambda cold dark matter (LCDM) universe within a cosmological dark matter simulation of sufficient resolution to resolve structure down to the scale of dwarfs. We show that there is a strong age-clustering correlation for objects likely to host luminous galaxies, which includes the satellite halo (subhalo) population. Older mock galaxies are significantly more clustered in our catalog, which consists of satellite haloes as well as the central peaks of discrete haloes, selected solely by peak circular velocity. This age dependence is caused mainly by the age-clustering relation for discrete haloes, recently found by Gao et al., acting mostly on field members, combined with the tendency for older mock galaxies to lie within groups and clusters, where galaxy clustering is enhanced. Our results suggest that the clustering age dependence is manifested in real galaxies. At small scales (less than ~5 Mpc/h), the very simple assumption that galaxy colour depends solely on halo age is inconsistent with the strength of the observed clustering colour trends, where red galaxies become increasingly more clustered than blue galaxies toward smaller scales, suggesting that luminosity weighted galaxy ages do not closely trace the assembly epoch of their dark matter hosts. The age dependence is present but is much weaker for satellite haloes lying within groups and clusters than for the global population., accepted by MNRAS, revisions include additional figures and expanded discussion