Globular cluster distributions as a dynamical probe of dark matter

Globular clusters (GCs) act as massive probe particles traversing their host galaxies. Gravitational dynamical friction due to halo particles causes GC orbits to contract over time, providing a beyond-mean field test of the cold dark matter paradigm. We explore the information content of such systems, using N-body and semianalytic simulations and scanning over a range of initial conditions. We apply the method to the GC-rich ultradiffuse dwarf galaxy NGC5846-UDG1, and to the Fornax dwarf galaxy.