Globular cluster distributions as a dynamical probe of dark matter (2504.02476v1)

Abstract: Globular clusters (GCs) act as massive probe particles traversing the dark matter halos of their host galaxies. Gravitational dynamical friction due to halo particles causes GC orbits to contract over time, providing a beyond-mean field test of the cold dark matter paradigm. We explore the information content of such systems, using N-body and semianalytic simulations and scanning over a range of initial conditions. We consider data from the ultradiffuse galaxies NGC5846-UDG1 and UDG-DF44, and from the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy. The GC systems of UDG1 and Fornax indicate the presence of dark matter halos, independent of (but consistent with) stellar kinematics data. UDG-DF44 is too diffuse for dynamical friction to give strong constraints. Our analysis can be extended to many additional galaxies.