Aperture dependence of mass-to-light ratio (source code)

= Aperture dependence of mass-to-light ratio
{title2=$\Upsilon(<R)=M(<R)/L(<R)$}

A dynamical <mass-to-light ratio> must specify its aperture and whether the mass includes <dark matter>. A growing dark halo can increase $\Upsilon(<R)$ outside the bright stellar body even when the stellar ratio is constant. Comparing a tidal-radius satellite mass with a large-aperture host mass is different from comparing both within their half-light radii. From $M\propto\sigma^2R$ and $L\propto\sigma^4$, the inferred ratio scales as $R/\sigma^2$, so equal ratios additionally require homologous radius scaling.