Do cluster galaxies have extended dark halos?

Original · EN

We present the results of the application of the methodology introduced by Natarajan & Kneib (1997) to interpret local perturbations to the cluster shear field resulting from mass associated with individual cluster galaxies. The lensing signal is used to place new constraints on the average mass-to-light ratio and spatial extents of the dark matter halos associated with morphologically-classified early-type cluster members in the Abell cluster AC114. The total mass of a fiducial L cluster spheroidal galaxy is found to be largely contained within 15 kpc radius halo (8--10 Rₑ) with a mass-to-light ratio M/Lᵥ 15⁺¹⁰₋₄ (90 % c.l.) in solar units within this radius. Comparisons with similar estimates for field galaxies suggests that the cluster galaxies in AC114 may possess less extensive and less massive halos. Additionally, there is some indication that, at a fixed luminosity, S0 galaxies are less extended than ellipticals, suggesting a difference in the efficiency of tidal stripping for different galaxy types. These results enable us to probe the variation of the mass-to-light ratio with scale via gravitational lensing methods. Therefore, the prospects for constraining the mass density of the Universe and understanding galaxy evolution using these gravitational lensing methods are very promising.