Collision frequency between dark matter subhaloes within Milky Way-like galaxies

In the standard cold dark matter (CDM) model, sub-galactic structures hierarchically collide and merge to build up larger structures. Mergers and collisions between dwarf galaxies and dark matter subhaloes (DMSHs) play an important role in the evolution and formation of structures within a massive galaxy. We investigate the collision frequency between DMSHs associated with a massive host galaxy such as the Milky Way. We analytically estimate the density distribution of DMSH pairs for the relative distance and relative velocity ( r rel - v rel ) and the distance from the centre of the host halo and relative velocity ( r - v rel ) planes, based on the distribution function of the host halo in the phase space. Then, we evaluate the collision frequencies of DMSHs by integrating the orbital evolution of DMSHs in Milky-Way-like host haloes selected from cosmological N -body simulations. The frequency of violent encounters, in which the relative distance of DMSHs is shorter than the sum of scale radii, is averaged as 2 . 1 × 1 0 2 Gyr − 1 . Since the time scale of violent encounters, 4 . 7 Myr , is shorter than the dynamical time of the host halo, collisions between DMSHs occur frequently within the host halo. Although interactions between DMSHs produce pairs with higher relative velocities, the density distributions of all and colliding pairs between DMSHs provided by numerical results are approximately similar to those of the analytical model neglecting the interactions of DMSHs on r rel - v rel plane for all pairs and r - v rel plane for colliding pairs. We compare our results with observed colliding dwarf galaxies and provide insight into the abundance of DMSHs. • We analytically and numerically investigate the collision frequency and distribution function of dark matter subhaloes (DMSHs) in Milky Way-like host haloes. • The frequency of violent encounters between DMSHs is estimated to be 210 per Gyr, with a timescale of 4.7 Myr. • Our results indicate that DMSH collisions occur frequently on timescales comparable to the dynamical timescale of the host halo. • These findings provide insights into the abundance and observational signatures of dark satellites.