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An observer's guide to the (Local Group) dwarf galaxies: predictions for their own dwarf satellite populations.
- Source :
-
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society . Nov2017, Vol. 471 Issue 4, p4894-4909. 16p. - Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- A recent surge in the discovery of new ultrafaint dwarf satellites of the MilkyWay has inspired the idea of searching for faint satellites, 10³ M⊙ < M* < 106 M⊙, around less massive field galaxies in the Local Group. Such satellites would be subject to weaker environmental influences than MilkyWay satellites, and could lead to new insights on low-mass galaxy formation. In this paper, we predict the number of luminous satellites expected around field dwarf galaxies by applying several abundance-matching models and a reionization model to the dark-matter only Caterpillar simulation suite. For three of the four abundance-matching models used, we find a >99 per cent chance that at least one satellite with stellar mass M* > 105 M⊙ exists around the combined five Local Group field dwarf galaxies with the largest stellar mass. When considering satellites with M* > 104 M⊙, we predict a combined 5-25 satellites for the five largest field dwarfs, and 10-50 for the whole Local Group field dwarf population. Because of the relatively small number of predicted dwarfs, and their extended spatial distribution, a large fraction each Local Group dwarf's virial volume will need to be surveyed to guarantee discoveries. We compute the predicted number of satellites in a given field of view of specific Local Group galaxies, as a function of minimum satellite luminosity, and explicitly obtain such values for the Solitary Local dwarfs survey. Uncertainties in abundance-matching and reionization models are large, implying that comprehensive searches could lead to refinements of both models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *DWARF galaxies
*MILKY Way
LOCAL Group (Astronomy)
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00358711
- Volume :
- 471
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 125277408
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx1900