Bas Zoutendijk
Leiden Observatory, Netherlands

Abstract
Ultra-faint dwarf galaxies are the least massive galaxies that we can currently observe. They are also the most dark matter-dominated galaxies that we know of. The MUSE integral-field spectrograph is the ideal instrument to study these galaxies, providing an efficient means to get spectral information on stars in their central parts. I will explain how these observations can be used to fulfil the long-term goal of constraining the dark matter-density profiles of ultra-faint dwarfs, which may tell us something about the nature of dark matter. I will also present my current work on the ultra-faint dwarf galaxy Eridanus 2. Photometry shows this galaxy seems to host a star cluster. The MUSE spectroscopy supports this. I will show how this cluster allows us to put constrains on the abundance of massive astrophysical compact halo objects with masses of ~10-1000 M_sun, which have not been ruled out yet as dark matter candidates.

2019 March 29, 13:30

IA/U.Porto
Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto (Classroom)
Rua das Estrelas, 4150-762 Porto