We examine the effect of primordial dark matter velocity dispersion and/or particle self-interactions on the structure and stability of galaxy halos, especially with respect to the formation of substructure and central density cusps. Primordial velocity dispersion is characterized by a “phase density” $Q\equiv \rho /〈v^2{〉}^{3/2},$ which for relativistically decoupled relics is determined by particle mass and spin and is insensitive to cosmological parameters. Finite Q leads to small-scale filtering of the primordial power spectrum, which reduces substructure, and limits the maximum central density of halos, which eliminates central cusps. The relationship between Q and halo observables is estimated. The primordial Q may be preserved in the cores of halos and if so leads to a predicted relation, closely analogous to that in degenerate dwarf stars, between the central density and velocity dispersion. Classical polytrope solutions are used to model the structure of halos of collisional dark matter, and to show that self-interactions in halos today are probably not significant because they destabilize halo cores via heat conduction. Constraints on masses and self-interactions of dark matter particles are estimated from halo stability and other considerations.

• Received 17 February 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.62.063511