EFFECT OF DARK MATTER HALO SUBSTRUCTURES ON GALAXY ROTATION CURVES

In this paper, the effect of halo substructures on galaxy rotation curves is investigated using a simple model of dark matter clustering. A dark matter halo density profile is developed based only on the scale-free nature of clustering that leads to a statistically self-similar distribution of the substructures at the galactic scale. A semi-analytical method is used to derive rotation curves for such a clumpy dark matter density profile. It is found that the halo substructures significantly affect the galaxy velocity field. Based on the fractal geometry of the halo, this self-consistent model predicts a Navarro–Frenk–White-like rotation curve and a scale-free power spectrum of the rotation velocity fluctuations.