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Activity Number: 110
Type: Topic Contributed
Date/Time: Monday, August 1, 2016 : 8:30 AM to 10:20 AM
Sponsor: Astrostatistics Special Interest Group
Abstract #319937 View Presentation
Title: Is the Distribution of Dark Matter in the Galaxy Identifiable Using the Information from the Baryonic Matter?
Author(s): Gwendolyn Eadie* and William Harris and Aaron Springford
Companies: McMaster University and McMaster University and Queen's University at Kingston
Keywords: hierarchical ; dark matter ; Milky Way ; galaxy ; astronomy ; Bayesian
Abstract:

Current estimates of the shape, mass, and cumulative mass profile of the Milky Way Galaxy's dark matter halo vary considerably in the literature. Some studies suggest that the halo is spherical, while others suggest it has an oblate, triaxial shape. Furthermore, the mass and cumulative mass profile of the Galaxy are difficult values to measure, and results can differ by more than a factor of two. The main reason that the Milky Way's dark matter halo is so poorly constrained is that dark matter cannot yet be directly detected. Thus, the distribution of dark matter must be inferred using information available from the baryonic ("normal") matter. There are many methods for estimating the Milky Way's dark matter halo mass and shape, but I will focus on a hierarchical Bayesian method that uses kinematic data from orbiting objects such as globular clusters, dwarf galaxies, and halo stars. We investigate how our method and the results we obtain may vary based on different model assumptions. In particular, we look into how the results are affected when we assume that the dark matter and baryonic matter do not come from the same distribution.


Authors who are presenting talks have a * after their name.

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