Formation and evolution of self-interacting dark matter haloes

Abstract

We have derived the first, fully cosmological, similarity solutions for cold dark matter (CDM) halo formation in the presence of non-gravitational collisionality (i.e. elastic scattering), which provides an analytical theory of the effect of the self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) hypothesis on halo density profiles. Collisions transport heat inward, which flattens the central cusp of the CDM density profile to produce a constant-density core, while continuous infall pumps energy into the halo to stabilize the core against gravothermal catastrophe. This is contrary to previous analyses based upon isolated haloes, which predict core collapse within a Hubble time. These solutions improve upon earlier attempts to model the formation and evolution of SIDM haloes, offer deeper insight than existing N-body experiments, and yield a more precise determination of the dependence of halo density profile on the value of the CDM self-interaction cross-section. Different solutions arise for different values of the dimensionless collisionality parameter Q = σ ρinfbrvir ∝ rvir/λ mfp, where σ is the scattering cross-section per unit mass, ρb is the cosmic mean matter density, rvir is halo virial radius and λmfp is the collision mean free path. The maximum flattening of central density occurs for an intermediate value of Q, Qth at which the halo is maximally relaxed to isothermality. The density profiles with constant-density cores preferred by dwarf and low surface brightness (LSB) galaxy rotation curves are best fit by the maximally flattened (Q = Qth) solution. If we assume that dwarfs and LSB galaxies formed at their typical collapse epoch in ACDM, then the value of σ which makes Q = Qth is σ ≃ 200 cm2 g-1, much higher than previous estimates, σ ≃ [0.5-5] cm2 g -1, based on N-body experiments. If Q > Qth is independent of collision velocity, then the same value σ ≃ 200 cm2 g-1 would make Q > Qth for clusters, which typically formed only recently, resulting in relatively less flattening of their central density profile and a smaller core. © 2005 RAS.