We analyse the density profiles of the stellar halo populations in eight Milky-Way mass galaxies, simulated within the $Lambda$-Cold Dark Matter scenario. We find that accreted stars can be well-fitted by an Einasto profile, as well as any subsample
defined according to metallicity. We detect a clear correlation between the Einasto fitting parameters of the low-metallicity stellar populations and those of the dark matter haloes. The correlations for stars with [Fe/H]$<-3$ allow us to predict the shape of the dark matter profiles within residuals of $sim 10 $ per cent, in case the contribution from in situ stars remains small. Using Einasto parameters estimated for the stellar halo of the Milky Way and assuming the later formed with significant contributions from accreted low-mass satellite, our simulations predict $alpha sim 0.15 $ and $r_2 sim 15$ kpc for its dark matter profile. These values, combined with observed estimations of the local dark matter density, yield an enclosed dark matter mass at $sim 8$ kpc in the range $3.9 - 6.7 times 10^{10}$ M$_{odot}$, in agreement with recent observational results. These findings suggest that low-metallicity stellar haloes could store relevant information on the DM haloes. Forthcoming observations would help us to further constrain our models and predictions.
We present a comprehensive study of the chemical properties of the stellar haloes of Milky-Way mass galaxies, analysing the transition between the inner to the outer haloes. We find the transition radius between the relative dominance of the inner-ha
lo and outer-halo stellar populations to be ~15-20 kpc for most of our haloes, similar to that inferred for the Milky Way from recent observations. While the number density of stars in the simulated inner-halo populations decreases rapidly with distance, the outer-halo populations contribute about 20-40 per cent in the fiducial solar neighborhood, in particular at the lowest metallicities. We have determined [Fe/H] profiles for our simulated haloes; they exhibit flat or mild gradients, in the range [-0.002, -0.01 ] dex/kpc. The metallicity distribution functions exhibit different features, reflecting the different assembly history of the individual stellar haloes. We find that stellar haloes formed with larger contributions from massive subgalactic systems have steeper metallicity gradients. Very metal-poor stars are mainly contributed to the halo systems by lower-mass satellites. There is a clear trend among the predicted metallicity distribution functions that a higher fraction of low-metallicity stars are found with increasing radius. These properties are consistent with the range of behaviours observed for stellar haloes of nearby galaxies.
We investigate the chemical and kinematic properties of the diffuse stellar haloes of six simulated Milky Way-like galaxies from the Aquarius Project. Binding energy criteria are adopted to defined two dynamically distinct stellar populations: the di
ffuse inner and outer haloes, which comprise different stellar sub-populations with particular chemical and kinematic characteristics. Our simulated inner- and outer-halo stellar populations have received contributions from debris stars (formed in sub-galactic systems while they were outside the virial radius of the main progenitor galaxies) and endo-debris stars (those formed in gas-rich sub-galactic systems inside the dark matter haloes). The inner haloes possess an additional contribution from disc-heated stars in the range $sim 3 - 30 %$, with a mean of $sim 20% $. Disc-heated stars might exhibit signatures of kinematical support, in particular among the youngest ones. Endo-debris plus disc-heated stars define the so-called insitu stellar populations. In both the inner- and outer-halo stellar populations, we detect contributions from stars with moderate to low [$alpha$/Fe] ratios, mainly associated with the endo-debris or disc-heated sub-populations. The observed abundance gradients in the inner-halo regions are influenced by both the level of chemical enrichment and the relative contributions from each stellar sub-population. Steeper abundance gradients in the inner-halo regions are related to contributions from the disc-heated and endo-debris stars, which tend to be found at lower binding energies than debris stars. (Abridged).
We study the chemical properties of the stellar populations in eight simulations of the formation of Milky-Way mass galaxies in a LCDM Universe. Our simulations include metal-dependent cooling and an explicitly multiphase treatment of the effects on
the gas of cooling, enrichment and supernova feedback. We search for correlations between formation history and chemical abundance patterns. Differing contributions to spheroids and discs from in situ star formation and from accreted populations are reflected in differing chemical properties. Discs have younger stellar populations, with most stars forming in situ and with low alpha-enhancement from gas which never participated in a galactic outflow. Up to 15 per cent of disc stars can come from accreted satellites. These tend to be alpha-enhanced, older and to have larger velocity dispersions than the in situ population. Inner spheroids have old, metal-rich and alpha-enhanced stars which formed primarily in situ, more than 40 per cent from material recycled through earlier galactic winds. Few accreted stars are found in the inner spheroid unless a major merger occurred recently. Such stars are older, more metal-poor and more alpha-enhanced than the in situ population. Stellar haloes tend to have low metallicity and high alpha-enhancement. The outer haloes are made primarily of accreted stars. Their mean metallicity and alpha-enhancement reflect the masses of the disrupted satellites where they formed: more massive satellites typically have higher [Fe/H] and lower [alpha/Fe]. Surviving satellites have distinctive chemical patterns which reflect their extended, bursty star formation histories. These produce lower alpha-enhancement at given metallicity than in the main galaxy, in agreement with observed trends in the Milky Way.
We have resimulated the six galaxy-sized haloes of the Aquarius Project including metal-dependent cooling, star formation and supernova feedback. This allows us to study not only how dark matter haloes respond to galaxy formation, but also how this r
esponse is affected by details of halo assembly history. In agreement with previous work, we find baryon condensation to lead to increased dark matter concentration. Dark matter density profiles differ substantially in shape from halo to halo when baryons are included, but in all cases the velocity dispersion decreases monotonically with radius. Some haloes show an approximately constant dark matter velocity anisotropy with $ beta approx 0.1-02$, while others retain the anisotropy structure of their baryon-fre
