Measuring Dark Matter Profiles Non-Parametrically in Dwarf Spheroidals: An Application to Draco

Understand

We introduce a novel implementation of orbit-based (or Schwarzschild) modeling that allows dark matter density profiles to be calculated non-parametrically in nearby galaxies.

• Our models require no assumptions to be made about velocity anisotropy or the dark matter profile.
• The technique can be applied to any dispersion-supported stellar system, and we demonstrate its use by studying the Local Group dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxy Draco.
• We use existing kinematic data at larger radii and also present 12 new radial velocities within the central 13 pc obtained with the VIRUS-W integral field spectrograph on the 2.7m telescope at McDonald Observatory.