Large-scale filaments--Newtonian vs. modified dynamics

Eisenstein Loeb and Turner (ELT) have recently proposed a method for estimating the dynamical masses of large-scale filaments, whereby the filament is modeled by an axisymmetric, isothermal cylinder, for which ELT derive a global relation between the (constant) velocity dispersion and the total line density. We first show that the model assumptions of ELT can be relaxed materially: an exact relation between the velocity and line density is derived for any cylinder (not necessarily axisymmetric), with an arbitrary constituent distribution function (so isothermality need not be assumed). We then consider the same problem in the context of the modified dynamics (MOND). After a brief comparison between scaling properties in the two theories, we study idealized MOND model filaments. A preliminary application to the segment of the Perseus-Pisces filament treated by ELT, gives MOND M/L estimates of order 10 s.u., compared with the Newtonian value of about 450, which ELT find. In spite of the large uncertainties still besetting the analysis, this instance of MOND application is of particular interest because: 1. Objects of this geometry have not been dealt with before. 2. It pertains to large-scale structure. 3. The typical accelerations involved are the lowest so far encountered in a semi-virialized system.Comment: 12 page

MOND mass-to-light ratios for galaxy groups

I estimate MOND M/L values for nine galaxy groups that were recently studied by Tully et al.. Instead of the large M/L values that they find with Newtonian dynamics (up to 1200 solar units) the MOND estimates cluster around 1 solar unit. Tully et al. find a systematic and significant difference between the M/L values of groups that do not contain luminous galaxies and those that do: Dwarfs-only groups have larger M/L values (by a factor of about 5). The MOND M/L values do not show this trend; the Newtonian disparity is traced back to the dwarfs-only groups having systematically smaller intrinsic accelerations (similar sizes, but rather smaller velocity dispersions).Comment: 7 pages, Astrophys. J. Lett., in pres

Distinguishing Between CDM and MOND: Predictions for the Microwave Background

Two hypothesized solutions of the mass discrepancy problem are cold dark matter (CDM) and modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND). The virtues and vices of these very different hypotheses are largely disjoint, making the process of distinguishing between them very dependent on how we weigh disparate lines of evidence. One clear difference is the nature of the principal mass constituent of the universe (CDM or baryons). This difference in the baryon fraction ($f_b \approx 0.1$ vs. 1) should leave a distinctive signature in the spectrum of fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background. Here I discuss some of the signatures which should be detectable in the near future. The most promising appears to be the ratio of the amplitudes of the first two peaks relative to the intervening trough.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, AASTeX. Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter

Galaxy groups and the modified dynamics

I estimate Modified-Dynamics (MOND), median M/L values for recently published catalogues of galaxy groups. While the median, Newtonian M/L values quoted for these catalogues are 110-200 solar units, the corresponding values for MOND are less than 10 solar units.Comment: 5 pages, Latex, to appear in Astrophys. J. Let

Spontaneous breaking of conformal invariance, solitons and gravitational waves in theories of conformally invariant gravitation

We study conformal gravity as an alternative theory of gravitation. For conformal gravity to be phenomenologically viable requires that the conformal symmetry is not manifest at the energy scales of the other known physical forces. Hence we require a mechanism for the spontaneous breaking of conformal invariance. In this paper we study the possibility that conformal invariance is spontaneously broken due to interactions with conformally coupled matter fields. The vacuum of the theory admits conformally non-invariant solutions corresponding to maximally symmetric space-times and variants thereof. These are either de Sitter space-time or anti-de Sitter space-time in the full four space-time dimensions or in a lower dimensional sub-space. We consider in particular normalizable, linearized gravitational perturbations around the anti-de Sitter background. Exploiting the conformal flatness of this space-time, we show to second order, that these gravitational fluctuations, that are taken to be fourier decomposable, carry zero energy-momentum. This squares well with the theorem that asymptotically flat space-times conformal gravity contain zero energy and momentum \cite{bhs}. We also show the possibility of domain wall solitons interpolating between the ground states of spontaneously broken conformal symmetry that we have found. These solitons necessarily require the vanishing of the scalar field, repudiating the recent suggestion \cite{f} that the conformal symmetry could be quarantined to a sterile sector of the theory by choosing an appropriate field redefinition.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figures, colour viewing helpful, version to be published in PR

Direct Detection of Leptophilic Dark Matter in a Model with Radiative Neutrino Masses

We consider an electro-weak scale model for Dark Matter (DM) and radiative neutrino mass generation. Despite the leptophilic nature of DM with no direct couplings to quarks and gluons, scattering with nuclei is induced at the 1-loop level through photon exchange. Effectively, there are charge-charge, dipole-charge and dipole-dipole interactions. We investigate the parameter space consistent with constraints from neutrino masses and mixing, charged lepton-flavour violation, perturbativity, and the thermal production of the correct DM abundance, and calculate the expected event rate in DM direct detection experiments. We show that current data from XENON100 start to constrain certain regions of the allowed parameter space, whereas future data from XENON1T has the potential to significantly probe the model.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables, discussion of large theta13 added, version to appear in PR

The modified dynamics (MOND) predicts an absolute maximum to the acceleration produced by `dark halos'

We have recently discovered that the modified dynamics (MOND) implies some universal upper bound on the acceleration that can be contributed by a `dark halo'--assumed in a Newtonian analysis to account for the effects of MOND. Not surprisingly, the limit is of the order of the acceleration constant of the theory. This can be contrasted directly with the results of structure-formation simulations. The new limit is substantial and different from earlier MOND acceleration limits (discussed in connection with the MOND explanation of the Freeman law for galaxy disks, and the Fish law for ellipticals): It pertains to the `halo', and not to the observed galaxy; it is absolute, and independent of further physical assumptions on the nature of the galactic system; and it applies at all radii, whereas the other limits apply only to the mean acceleration in the system.Comment: Latex, five pages, final version to be published in Astrophys. J. Let

BOOMERanG Data Suggest a Purely Baryonic Universe

The amplitudes of peaks in the angular power spectrum of anisotropies in the microwave background radiation depend on the mass content of the universe. The second peak should be prominent when cold dark matter is dominant, but is depressed when baryons dominate. Recent microwave background data are consistent with a purely baryonic universe with Omega(matter) = Omega(baryon) ~ 0.03 and Omega(Lambda) ~ 1.Comment: 10 pages AASTeX with 1 color postscript figure. Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters. And yes, the prediction was in the literature before the dat

The published extended rotation curves of spiral galaxies: confrontation with modified dynamics

A sample of 22 spiral galaxy rotation curves, measured in the 21 cm line of neutral hydrogen, is considered in the context of Milgrom's modified dynamics (MOND). Combined with the previous highly selected sample of Begeman et al. (1990), this comprises the current total sample of galaxies with published (or available) extended rotation curves and photometric observations of the light distribution. This is the observational basis of present quantitative understanding of the discrepancy between the visible mass and classical dynamical mass in galaxies. It is found that the gravitational force calculated from the observed distribution of luminous material and gas using the simple MOND formula can account for the overall shape and amplitude of these 22 rotation curves, and in some cases, the predicted curve agrees with the observed rotation curve in detail. The fitted rotation curves have, in 13 cases, only one free parameter which is the mass-to-light ratio of the luminous disk; in nine cases, there is an additional free parameter which is M/L of a central bulge or light concentration. The values of the global M/L (bulge plus disk) are reasonable and, when the gas mass is also included, show a scatter which is consistent with that in the Tully-Fisher relation. The success of the MOND prescription in predicting the rotation curves in this larger, less stringently selected sample, lends further support to the idea that dynamics or gravity is non-Newtonian in the limit of low accelerations and that it is unnecessary to invoke the presence of large quantities of unseen matter

A Face-On Tully-Fisher Relation

We construct the first "face-on" Tully-Fisher (TF) relation for 24 galaxies with inclinations between 16 degrees and 41 degrees. The enabling measurements are integral-field, echelle spectroscopy from the WIYN 3.5m telescope, which yield accurate kinematic estimates of disk inclination to 15 degrees. Kinematic inclinations are of sufficient accuracy that our measured TF scatter of 0.42 mag is comparable to other surveys even without internal-absorption corrections. Three of four galaxies with significant kinematic and photometric asymmetries also have the largest deviations from our TF relation, suggesting that asymmetries make an important contribution to TF scatter. By measuring inclinations below 40 degrees, we establish a direct path to linking this scatter to the unprojected structure of disks and making non-degenerate dynamical mass-decompositions of spiral galaxies.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures (2 color). Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter