2021ApJ...908...21Z -
Astrophys. J., 908, 21-21 (2021/February-2)
Understanding the velocity distribution of the Galactic Bulge with APOGEE and Gaia.
ZHOU Y., LI Z.-Y., SIMION I.T., SHEN J., MAO S., LIU C., JIAN M. and FERNANDEZ-TRINCADO J.G.
Abstract (from CDS):
We revisit the stellar velocity distribution in the Galactic bulge/bar region with Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment DR16 and Gaia DR2, focusing in particular on the possible high-velocity (HV) peaks and their physical origin. We fit the velocity distributions with two different models, namely with Gauss-Hermite polynomials and Gaussian mixture models (GMMs). The result of the fit using Gauss-Hermite polynomials reveals a positive correlation between the mean velocity () and the "skewness" (h3) of the velocity distribution, possibly caused by the Galactic bar. The n = 2 GMM fitting reveals a symmetric longitudinal trend of |µ2| and σ2 (the mean velocity and the standard deviation of the secondary component), which is inconsistent with the x2 orbital family predictions. Cold secondary peaks could be seen at |l| ∼ 6°. However, with the additional tangential information from Gaia, we find that the HV stars in the bulge show similar patterns in the radial-tangential velocity distribution (VR-VT), regardless of the existence of a distinct cold HV peak. The observed VR-VT (or VGSR-µl) distributions are consistent with the predictions of a simple Milky Way bar model. The chemical abundances and ages inferred from ASPCAP and CANNON suggest that the HV stars in the bulge/bar are generally as old as, if not older than, the other stars in the bulge/bar region.
Abstract Copyright:
© 2021. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.
Journal keyword(s):
Milky Way dynamics - Galactic bulge
Simbad objects:
4
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