Simulations of galaxy cluster mergers with velocity-dependent, rare and frequent self-interactions

Abstract

Self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) has been proposed to solve small-scale problems in $\Lambda$CDM cosmology. In previous work, constraints on the self-interaction cross-section of dark matter have been derived assuming that the self-interaction cross-section is independent of velocity. However, a velocity-dependent cross-section is more natural in most theories of SIDM. Using idealized $N$-body simulations without baryons, we study merging clusters with velocity-dependent SIDM. In addition to the usual rare scattering in the isotropic limit, we also simulate these systems with anisotropic, small-angle (frequent) scatterings. We find that the collision-less brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) has an offset from the DM peak that grows at later stages. Finally, we also extend the existing upper bounds on the velocity-independent, isotropic self-interaction cross-section to the parameter space of rare and frequent velocity-dependent self-interactions by studying the central densities of dark matter-only isolated haloes. For these upper-bound parameters, the DM-BCG offsets just after the first pericentre in the dark matter-only simulations are found to be $\le$ 10 kpc. On the other hand, because of BCG oscillations, we speculate that the distribution of BCG offsets in a relaxed cluster is a statistically viable probe. Therefore, this motivates further studies of BCG off-centring in hydrodynamic cosmological simulations.

arXiv comment12 pages, 9 figures + appendices, published in MNRAS

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• Numerical challenges for energy conservation in N-body simulations of collapsing self-interacting dark matter halos
• Dynamical friction from self-interacting dark matter
• BUFFALO Wild Wings: A High Precision Free-Form Lens Model of MACSJ0416 with Constraints on Dark Matter from Substructure and Highly Magnified Arcs
• N-body simulations of dark matter-baryon interactions
• Simulating realistic self-interacting dark matter models including small and large-angle scattering
• Merging Galaxy Clusters and the Search for New Physics of Dark Matter: A Review
• Accretion of self-interacting dark matter onto supermassive black holes