Strong Evidence for Cosmic Ray-Supported $\sim$L${}^{\ast }$ Galaxy Halos via X-ray \& tSZ Constraints

Abstract

Many state-of-the-art galaxy simulations featuring traditional feedback modes have significant challenges producing enough extended soft X-ray ($\sim 0.5-2$ keV) emission at R $\sim 0.5-1$ R${}_{\mathrm{vir}}$ observed around galaxies with stellar masses M${}_{\ast }\lesssim 10^{11}{\mathrm{M}}_{\odot }$, without violating galaxy mass function constraints. Moreover, thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (tSZ) measurements probing the thermal pressure of similar galaxies indicate it is orders-of-magnitude lower than predictions from simple halo hydrodynamics and many hydrodynamical simulations. We demonstrate that these constraints can be met congruously with a large non-thermal pressure contribution in the form of cosmic rays (CRs) from SNe and/or AGN, which lowers the tSZ signal while CR leptons produce plentiful soft X-rays via inverse Compton scattering of the CMB. The combination of these two observations is far more constraining on the pressure budget of galactic halos than either alone -- if these novel tSZ and X-ray observations are borne out by future studies, then taken together they reveal \textit{the strongest evidence for CR support in halos to date}. Conversely, it is very difficult to produce the extended X-rays via traditional thermal emission without increasing the overall thermal pressure and thus tSZ signal in tandem, making these tensions even worse. Finally, tSZ \& X-rays together unlock a novel observational method to constrain halo CR pressure relative to thermal pressure, with implications for CR transport parameters and AGN feedback energetics across various galaxy mass scales. Taking the currently observed constraints at M${}_{\mathrm{halo}}\sim 10^{12}{\mathrm{M}}_{\odot }$ imply the halo CR pressure must at least be equal to the gas thermal pressure.

arXiv comment14 pages (10.5 pages main text, 3.5 pages references), 4 figures. Updating with version accepted in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Comments and questions most welcome!

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