Dynamical Friction by Coupled Dark Energy

Abstract In this paper, we examine dynamical friction at galactic scales within the framework of coupled dark energy (CDE). This model posits dark energy as coupled quintessence, which maintains a minimal coupling to gravity but interacts nonminimally with both dark matter and baryonic matter. Since our focus is primarily on the Newtonian regime within galaxies, we begin by deriving the Newtonian limit of the model. Subsequently, we calculate the dynamical friction force using three different approaches. We demonstrate that, in the absence of interaction between dark energy and matter, standard quintessence does not generate any dynamical friction at the galactic scale. However, the presence of interaction does cause dynamical friction. By applying the resulting analytic expressions to a real self-gravitating system, namely the Fornax galaxy, and by implementing the constraints on the free parameter of the model obtained from galactic observations, we demonstrate that the CDE model leads to significant deviations from the standard cold dark matter model at galactic scales. On the other hand, if the cosmological constraints are assumed for the free parameter, the effects of the model are expected to be negligible at the galactic level, at least in dynamical friction.