A shot in the dark: searching for dark substructures in the RX J0437+00 galaxy cluster

dark matter; galaxies: clusters: individual: RX J0437.1+0043; gravitational lensing: strong; techniques: imaging spectroscopy; Dark matter; Galaxies clusters; Galaxies: clusters: individual: Virgo; Galaxy: cluster: individual: RX j0437.1+0043; Gravitational lensing: strong; High-resolution imaging; Integral Field Unit; Low-mass; Subhalos; Techniques: imaging spectroscopies; Astronomy and Astrophysics; Space and Planetary Science

Abstract :

[en] Obtaining a census of dark matter structures at low mass ((Formula presented) ) can provide strong constraints on the nature of dark matter, though identifying such structures remains difficult. In this work, we study the galaxy cluster RX J0437.1+0043, taking advantage of its powerful ‘exotic’ Hyperbolic-Umbilic (HU) lensing configuration to search for substructure candidates. Using a combination of high-resolution imaging, integral field unit spectroscopy, and gravitational lensing modelling, we report on a tentative detection of a dark matter subhalo ((Formula presented) ) near the vicinity of one of the largest HU images. We stress that this result is still preliminary and that deeper data and more advanced modelling techniques are needed to ultimately confirm this detection. Nevertheless, this work outlines the first steps towards understanding subhalo properties in dense cluster environments, developing HU cluster lenses as a potential new tool for investigating dark matter.

Disciplines :

Space science, astronomy & astrophysics

Author, co-author :

Lagattuta, David J ; Centre for Astrophysics Research, Department of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United Kingdom ; Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom ; Institute for Computational Cosmology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom

Jauzac, Mathilde ; Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom ; Institute for Computational Cosmology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom ; Astrophysics Research Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa ; School of Mathematics, Statistics & Computer Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

Doppel, Jessica E; Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom ; Institute for Computational Cosmology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom

Mahler, Guillaume ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'astrophysique, géophysique et océanographie (AGO) > Multi-wavelength Extragalactic and Galactic Astrophysics (MEGA) ; STAR Institute, Liège, Belgium

Niemiec, Anna; Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, LPSC-IN2P3, Grenoble, France

Language :

English

Title :

A shot in the dark: searching for dark substructures in the RX J0437+00 galaxy cluster

Publication date :

September 2026

Journal title :

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

ISSN :

0035-8711

eISSN :

1365-2966

Publisher :

Oxford University Press

Volume :

551

Issue :

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://academic.oup.com/mnras/advance-article-pdf/doi/10.1093/mnras/stag1146/68580020/stag1146.pdf

Funders :

UKRI - United Kingdom Resarch and Innovation

Available on ORBi :

since 25 August 2026

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