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Cited by 21Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, PhenomenaDark Matter and Cosmic PhenomenaCosmology and Gravitation Theories

Gravothermal collapse and the diversity of galactic rotation curves

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Roberts, M. Grant, Kaplinghat, Manoj, Valli, Mauro, Yu, Hai-Bo·2025·Physical Review D
DOI 10.1103/physrevd.111.103041
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Abstract

The rotation curves of spiral galaxies exhibit a great diversity that challenges our understanding of galaxy formation and the nature of dark matter. Previous studies showed that in self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) models with a cross section per unit mass of $\ensuremath{\sigma}/m\ensuremath{\approx}\mathcal{O}(1)\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}/\mathrm{g}$, the predicted dark matter central densities are a good match to the observed densities in galaxies. In this work, we explore a regime with a larger cross section of $\ensuremath{\sigma}/m\ensuremath{\approx}20\ensuremath{-}40\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}/\mathrm{g}$ in dwarf galactic halos. We will show that such strong dark matter self-interactions can further amplify the diversity of halo densities inherited from their assembly history. High concentration halos can enter the gravothermal collapse phase within 10 Gyr, resulting in a high density, while low concentration ones remain in the expansion phase and have a low density. We fit the rotation curves of 14 representative low surface brightness galaxies and demonstrate how the large range of observed central densities is naturally accommodated in the strong SIDM regime of $\ensuremath{\sigma}/m\ensuremath{\approx}20--40\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}/\mathrm{g}$. Galaxies that are outliers in the previous studies, due to their high halo central densities, are no longer outliers in this SIDM regime as their halos would be in the collapse phase. For galaxies with a low density, the SIDM fits are robust to the variation of the cross section. Our findings open up a new window for testing gravothermal collapse, the unique signature of strong dark matter self-interactions, and exploring a broader SIDM model space. As an example, we illustrate how the larger cross sections favored by our fits, together with upper limits from strong lensing observations in clusters, pick out the preferred SIDM model space for a dark matter particle coupled to a light gauge boson in the Born regime.

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  • The SIDM cross-section must be velocity-dependent if dwarf rotation curves are to be explained by this mechanism.

    “The discrepancy in the size of the cross-section implied by cluster and dwarf galaxy observations suggests that the SIDM cross-section must necessarily be a velocitydependent interaction if we wish to explain dwarf rotation curves through this mechanism.”

    From Constraint on dark matter self-interaction from combined strong lensing and stellar kinematics in MACS J0138-2155 (2026) · cites this paper as [20]

    In §F, “Particle physics models” (page not available), the paper combines a favored cross section of 20–40 cm²/g at dwarf-galaxy velocities with an adopted cluster-scale upper bound of 0.13 cm²/g; satisfying both calls for velocity dependence. But the Conclusions say further simulations are needed to validate the inferred range, so the paper does not establish that velocity dependence is strictly necessary to explain dwarf rotation curves. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Roberts et al. [20] suggests that σ/m could be as high as 20-40 cm^2/g at dwarf/LSB mass scales when SIDM-induced core collapse is accounted for.

    “However, Roberts et al. [20] suggests that σ/m could be as high as 20 -40 cm 2 / g at this mass scale, when SIDM-induced core collapse is accounted for.”

    From Constraint on dark matter self-interaction from combined strong lensing and stellar kinematics in MACS J0138-2155 (2026) · cites this paper as [20]

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Roberts, M. G., Kaplinghat, M., Valli, M., & Yu, H.-B.
Affiliations
  • University of California, Santa Cruz (US)
  • University of California, Irvine (US)
  • Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Roma I (IT)
  • University of California, Riverside (US)
Corresponding author
Roberts, M. Grant
ORCID
Venue
Physical Review D
Publisher
American Physical Society (APS)
Published
2025-05-20
Volume
111
Issue
10
ISSN
  • 2470-0010 (ISSN-L)
  • 2470-0029
DOI
10.1103/physrevd.111.103041
OpenAlex
W4410541782
Cited by
21
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 9
FWCI
8.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Physical review. D/Physical review. D. (publishedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information) (submittedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (PHY-2210283)
  • Instituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
  • U.S. Department of Energy (de-sc0008541)
  • John Templeton Foundation (61884)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Nuclear and High Energy Physics › Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Cosmology and Gravitation Theories
Keywords
gravothermal collapse, self-interacting dark matter, spiral galaxies, dark matter cross section, low surface brightness galaxies

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