Joint Gas and Stellar Dynamical Models of WLM: An isolated dwarf galaxy within a cored, prolate DM halo


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We present multi-tracer dynamical models of the low mass ($M_{*} sim 10^{7}$), isolated dwarf irregular galaxy WLM in order to simultaneously constrain the inner slope of the dark matter (DM) halo density profile ($gamma$) and flattening ($q_mathrm{DM}$), and the stellar orbital anisotropy ($beta_{z}, beta_{r}$). For the first time, we show how jointly constraining the mass distribution from the HI gas rotation curve and solving the Jeans equations with discrete stellar kinematics leads to a factor of $sim2$ reduction in the uncertainties on $gamma$. The mass-anisotropy degeneracy is also partially broken, leading to reductions on uncertainty by $sim 30%$ on $M_mathrm{vir}$ (and $sim 70%$ at the half-light radius) and $sim 25%$ on anisotropy. Our inferred value of $gamma = 0.3 pm 0.1$ is robust to the halo geometry, and in excellent agreement with predictions of stellar feedback driven DM core creation. The derived prolate geometry of the DM halo with $q_mathrm{DM} = 2 pm 1$ is consistent with $Lambda$CDM simulations of dwarf galaxy halos. While self-interacting DM (SIDM) models with $sigma/m_{X} sim 0.6$ can reproduce this cored DM profile, the interaction events may sphericalise the halo. The simultaneously cored and prolate DM halo may therefore present a challenge for SIDM. Finally we find that the radial profile of stellar anisotropy in WLM ($beta_{r}$) follows a nearly identical trend of increasing tangential anisotropy to the classical dSphs, Fornax and Sculptor. Given WLMs orbital history, this result may call into question whether such anisotropy is a consequence of tidal stripping in only one pericentric passage or if it instead is a feature of the largely self-similar formation and evolutionary pathways for some dwarf galaxies.

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