Radial Dispersion Peaks as Geometric Observables in Weak Lensing: KiDS and INSPIRE Data

Radial Dispersion Peaks as Geometric Observables in Weak Lensing: KiDS and INSPIRE Data | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Radial Dispersion Peaks as Geometric Observables in Weak Lensing: KiDS and INSPIRE Data Leonardo Sales Seriacopi This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8790912/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract We present a fully model-independent analysis of weak gravitational lensing data from the KiDS survey, identifying a characteristic physical scale associated with the radial dispersion peak of the shear signal measured around individual galaxies treated as autonomous systems. For each system, the dispersion-peak radius r_peak is defined as the radial distance at which the azimuthally averaged dispersion of background galaxy ellipticities reaches its maximum.Using a random sample of 10,000 KiDS anchors, we find a robust and statistically stable modal value at r_peak ≈ 0.31 Mpc. This scale persists under subsampling, bootstrap resampling, and explicit environmental separation, indicating that it is not driven by mass selection, local overdensity, or clustering.We further perform a direct comparative analysis between the random KiDS anchors and a sample of relic galaxies using an identical measurement pipeline. While both samples share the same background catalog and geometric estimator, their dispersion-peak distributions populate distinct scale regimes. In particular, relic galaxies preferentially occupy extended dispersion-peak states that are rarely accessed by random anchors, even when considering control samples larger by several orders of magnitude.These results indicate that the dispersion-peak radius reflects an intrinsic structural property of individual systems rather than a secondary dependence on redshift or environmental selection. The observed scale emerges directly from the statistical organisation of the weak-lensing signal and provides an empirical benchmark for characterising galaxy-scale structure without invoking parametric halo models, virial boundaries, or dynamical assumptions. Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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