Detection of a universal core-halo transition in dwarf galaxies as predicted by Bose-Einstein dark matter

Abstract

The presence of large dark matter cores in dwarf galaxies has long been puzzling and many are now known to be surrounded by an extensive halo of stars. Distinctive core-halo structure is characteristic of dark matter as a Bose Einstein condensate, $\psi$DM, with a dense, soliton core predicted in every galaxy, representing the ground state, surrounded by a large, tenuous halo of excited density waves. A marked density transition is predicted between the core and the halo set by the de Broglie wavelength, as the soliton core is a prominent standing wave that is denser by over an order of magnitude than the surrounding halo. Here we identify this predicted behavior in the stellar profiles of the well known "isolated" dwarfs that lie outside the Milky Way, each with a clear density transition at $\simeq 1.0~{\rm kpc}$, implying a very light boson, $m_{\psi} \simeq 10^{-22}$eV. The classical dwarf galaxies orbiting within the Milky Way also show this predicted core-halo structure but with larger density transitions of over two orders of magnitude, that we show implies tidal stripping of dwarf galaxies by the Milky way, as the tenuous halo is more easily stripped than the stable soliton core. We conclude that dark matter as a light boson explains the observed family of classical dwarf profiles with tidal stripping included, in contrast to the standard heavy particle interpretation where low mass galaxies should be concentrated and core-less, quite unlike the core-halo structure observed.