MOND in galaxy groups: a superior sample

Abstract

Intermediate-richness galaxy groups are an important test ground for MOND. First, they constitute a distinct type of galactic systems, with their own evolution histories and underlying physical processes; secondly, they probe little-chartered regions of parameter space, as they have baryonic masses similar to massive galaxies, and similar velocity dispersions, but much larger sizes -- similar to cluster cores (or even to clusters), but much lower dispersions. Importantly in the context of MOND, they have the lowest internal accelerations reachable inside galactic systems. I analyze a sample of 56 medium-richness groups having a large number ($\ge 15$) of members with measured velocities. The groups obey the deep-MOND, baryonic-mass-velocity-dispersion relation, $M_MGa_0=(81/4)\sigma^4$, with individual, MOND $M_M/L_K$ ratios of order $1$ solar unit, with $(M_M/L_K)_{median}=0.7$ s.u. compared with the much larger Newtonian $M_d/L_K$ -- several tens s.u., and $(M_d/L_K)_{median}=37$ s.u. The same MOND relation describes dwarf spheroidals -- 2-3 orders smaller in size, and 7-8 orders lower in mass. The groups conformation to the MOND relation is equivalent to their lying on the deep-MOND branch of the `acceleration-discrepancy relation', $g\approx (g_N a_0)^{1/2}$, for $g$ as low as a few percents of $a_0$ ($g_N$ is the baryonic, Newtonian, gravitational acceleration, and $g$ the actual one). This argues against a breakdown of MOND at extremely low accelerations. This conformation also argues against the hypothesis that the remaining MOND conundrum in cluster cores bespeaks a breakdown of MOND on large-distance scales; our groups are as large as cluster cores, but do not show obvious disagreement with MOND. I also discuss the possible presence of the idiosyncratic, MOND external-field effect.