N-body simulation of high or low-mass dark matter particles

In summary, there have been several studies that have compared the distribution and dynamics of dark matter in galaxies using n-body simulations. However, due to computational limitations, the mass resolution in these simulations is not high enough to accurately resolve the mass of the dark matter particles. Studies have compared different types of dark matter, such as Warm Dark Matter, Cold Dark Matter, Self-Interacting Dark Matter, and Axion-like Dark Matter, and have found some differences in their distributions and dynamics. However, most of these comparisons were not done using simulation methods.
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Do we notice any significant difference in distribution and dynamics of dark matter in galaxies when n-body simulations are done with high or low-mass dark matter particles?
 
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What do you mean by high or low mass? If you are thinking of resolving the mass of the DM particles this way, you need to know that the resolution of the simulations is nowhere near the level of being able to do this. I think the highest resolution n-body simulations have particle masses on the order of 10^4 to 10^5 Msun.
 
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phyzguy said:
What do you mean by high or low mass? If you are thinking of resolving the mass of the DM particles this way, you need to know that the resolution of the simulations is nowhere near the level of being able to do this. I think the highest resolution n-body simulations have particle masses on the order of 10^4 to 10^5 Msun.
I didn't know that the mass resolution is that low. Is it a computational limit, and therefore can improve?
 
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Yes it is a computational limit. But 10^5 Msun is at least 50 orders of magnitude greater than a presumed DM particle, so don't hold you breath. Unless of course DM is primordial black holes...
 
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Lovell (2020) employs the EAGLE simulation to compare Warm Dark Matter (i.e. keV scale particles), Cold Dark Matter (i.e. GeV scale particles) and Self-Interacting Dark Matter models. https://arxiv.org/abs/2002.11129v1

The CLUE simulation compares WDM and CDM models in Yepes (2013). https://arxiv.org/abs/1312.0105

A survey of WDM to CDM comparisons by multiple means can be found in de Vega (2011). https://arxiv.org/abs/1109.3187

Axion-like Dark Matter (i.e. ultralight) and Cold Dark Matter models are compared in Marsh (2015) although most not by simulation methods. https://arxiv.org/abs/1510.07633
 
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