scholarly journals Red clump giant stars as tracers of Galactic structure

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (H15) ◽  
pp. 811-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. López-Corredoira ◽  
A. Cabrera-Lavers ◽  
P. L. Hammersley ◽  
F. Garzón ◽  
T. J. Mahoney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Density Distribution ◽  
Stellar Population ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Position Angle ◽  
Line Of Sight ◽  
Galactocentric Distance ◽  
Giant Stars ◽  
Disc Bulge ◽  
Infrared Surveys ◽  
Red Clump

AbstractBy isolating the red clump giant population in the color-magnitude diagrams and inverting their star counts, we can obtain directly the density distribution of the old stellar population along the line of sight. We have applied this method to several near infrared surveys and obtained information on the disc, bulge and long bar. The disc is well fitted by an exponential distribution in both the galactocentric distance and height, flared and warped in the outer parts, and with a deficit of stars in the inner in-plane regions. The long bar occupies these in-plane regions within R < 3.9 kpc, with approximate dimensions of 7.8 kpc × 1.2 kpc × 0.2 kpc and a position angle of 40-45 deg. The bulge is a triaxial structure, possibly boxy, thicker and shorter than the long bar and with position angle of 10-30 deg.

scholarly journals GALACTICNUCLEUS: A high angular-resolution JHKs imaging survey of the Galactic centre

2020 ◽  
Vol 641 ◽  
pp. A141
Author(s):  
F. Nogueras-Lara ◽  
R. Schödel ◽  
N. Neumayer ◽  
E. Gallego-Cano ◽  
B. Shahzamanian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stellar Population ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Angular Resolution ◽  
Interstellar Extinction ◽  
Extinction Curve ◽  
Line Of Sight ◽  
Galactic Centre ◽  
High Angular Resolution ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Red Clump

Context. The characterisation of the extinction curve in the near-infrared (NIR) is fundamental to analysing the structure and stellar population of the Galactic centre (GC), whose analysis is hampered by the extreme interstellar extinction (AV ~ 30 mag) that varies on arc-second scales. Recent studies indicate that the behaviour of the extinction curve might be more complex than previously assumed, pointing towards a variation of the extinction curve as a function of wavelength. Aims. We aim to analyse the variations of the extinction index, α, with wavelength, line-of-sight, and absolute extinction, extending previous analyses to a larger area of the innermost regions of the Galaxy. Methods. We analysed the whole GALACTICNUCLEUS survey, a high-angular resolution (~0.2″) JHKs NIR survey specially designed to observe the GC in unprecedented detail. It covers a region of ~6000 pc2, comprising fields in the nuclear stellar disc, the inner bulge, and the transition region between them. We applied two independent methods based on red clump (RC) stars to constrain the extinction curve and analysed its variation superseding previous studies. Results. We used more than 165 000 RC stars and increased the size of the regions analysed significantly to confirm that the extinction curve varies with the wavelength. We estimated a difference Δα = 0.21 ± 0.07 between the obtained extinction indices, αJH = 2.44 ± 0.05 and αHKs = 2.23 ± 0.05. We also concluded that there is no significant variation of the extinction curve with wavelength, with the line-of-sight or the absolute extinction. Finally, we computed the ratios between extinctions, AJ∕AH = 1.87 ± 0.03 and AH/AKs = 1.84 ± 0.03, consistent with all the regions of the GALACTICNUCLEUS catalogue.

scholarly journals Distribution of red clump stars does not support the X-shaped Galactic bulge

2019 ◽  
Vol 627 ◽  
pp. A3 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. López-Corredoira ◽  
Y.-W. Lee ◽  
F. Garzón ◽  
D. Lim
Keyword(s):  
Density Distribution ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Absolute Magnitude ◽  
Line Of Sight ◽  
Galactic Bulge ◽  
Double Peak ◽  
The Absolute ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Red Clump ◽  
Two Peaks

Context. Claims of an X-shaped Galactic bulge were based on the assumption of red clump stars as standard candles in some lines of sight crossing the off-plane bulge. However, some doubts have been cast on whether the two peaks in star counts along the line of sight really represent a double peak in the density distribution, or whether there is something wrong with the assumption of a unique constant absolute magnitude for all of these stars. Aims. With the advent of Gaia-DR2 parallaxes in combination with near-infrared VISTA-VVV data, we are able to check which of the hypotheses is correct. Methods. We calculated the median absolute magnitude MK corresponding to both peaks of putative red clumps in seven lines of sight with the lowest extinction in the interesting coordinates’ range. Results. The difference between the absolute magnitude of the bright and the faint peak is ΔMK ≈ 0.4. The selected stars in both peaks cannot be represented by the same red clump giants with constant MK ≈ −1.6. Conclusions. The hypothesis that the bulge contains an X-shape is based on the assumption that the faint and bright peaks of the density distribution towards the bulge are dominated by standard red clump stars. However, we show that both the faint and bright peaks cannot be dominated by standard red clump stars simultaneously.

scholarly journals Structure and dynamics of the Milky Way disk as revealed from the radial velocity distributions of APOGEE red clump stars

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (S321) ◽  
pp. 50-50
Author(s):  
Daisuke Toyouchi ◽  
Masashi Chiba
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Milky Way ◽  
Radial Velocities ◽  
Galactocentric Distance ◽  
Chemical Abundances ◽  
Structure And Dynamics ◽  
Evolution Experiment ◽  
Dynamical Properties ◽  
Red Clump ◽  
Independent Work

AbstractWe investigate the structure and dynamics of the Milky Way (MW) disk stars based on the analysis of the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) data, to infer the past evolution histories of the MW disk component(s) possibly affected by radial migration and/or satellite accretions. APOGEE is the first near-infrared spectroscopic survey for a large number of the MW disk stars, providing their radial velocities and chemical abundances without significant dust extinction effects. We here adopt red-clump (RC) stars (Bovy et al. 2014), for which the distances from the Sun are determined precisely, and analyze their radial velocities and chemical abundances in the MW disk regions covering from the Galactocentric distance, R, of 5 kpc to 14 kpc. We investigate their dynamical properties, such as mean rotational velocities, 〈Vφ〉 and velocity dispersions, as a function of R, based on the MCMC Bayesian method. We find that at all radii, the dynamics of alpha-poor stars, which are candidates of young disk stars, is much different from that of alpha-rich stars, which are candidates of old disk stars. We find that our Jeans analysis for our sample stars reveals characteristic spatial and dynamical properties of the MW disk, which are generally in agreement with the recent independent work by Bovy et al. (2015) but with a different method from ours.

scholarly journals Variability of the near-infrared extinction curve towards the Galactic centre

2019 ◽  
Vol 630 ◽  
pp. L3 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Nogueras-Lara ◽  
R. Schödel ◽  
F. Najarro ◽  
A. T. Gallego-Calvente ◽  
E. Gallego-Cano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Stellar Structure ◽  
Extinction Curve ◽  
Line Of Sight ◽  
Galactic Centre ◽  
High Angular Resolution ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Red Clump ◽  
Significant Line

Context. Due to the extreme extinction towards the Galactic centre (AV ∼ 30 mag), its stellar population is mainly studied in the near-infrared (NIR) regime. Therefore, a proper analysis of the NIR extinction curve is necessary to fully characterise the stellar structure and population of the inner part of the galaxy. Aims. We studied the dependence of the extinction index (αλ) in the NIR on the line of sight, wavelength, and extinction. Methods. We used the GALACTICNUCLEUS imaging survey, a high angular resolution catalogue (0.2″) for the inner part of the Galaxy in JHKs, and studied the spatial variation in the extinction index. We also applied two independent methods based on red clump stars to compute the extinction index between different bands and its variation with wavelength. Results. We did not detect any significant line-of-sight or extinction variation in α within the studied region in the nuclear stellar disc. The extinction index between JH and HKs differs by 0.19 ± 0.05. We obtained mean values for the extinction indices αJH = 2.43 ± 0.03 and αHKs = 2.23 ± 0.03. The dependence of the extinction index on the wavelength could explain the differences obtained for αλ in the literature since it was assumed constant for the NIR regime.

scholarly journals Galaxy properties as revealed by MaNGA – III. Kinematic profiles and stellar population gradients in S0s

2020 ◽  
Vol 495 (3) ◽  
pp. 2894-2908 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Domínguez Sánchez ◽  
M Bernardi ◽  
F Nikakhtar ◽  
B Margalef-Bentabol ◽  
R K Sheth
Keyword(s):  
Stellar Population ◽  
Velocity Dispersion ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Elliptical Galaxies ◽  
Element Abundance ◽  
High Signal ◽  
Galactocentric Distance ◽  
Massive Galaxies ◽  
Nearby Galaxies ◽  
Mass Functions

ABSTRACT This is the third paper of a series where we study the stellar population gradients (SP; ages, metallicities, α-element abundance ratios, and stellar initial mass functions) of early-type galaxies (ETGs) at $z$ ≤ 0.08 from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at APO Data Release 15 (MaNGA-DR15) survey. In this work, we focus on the S0 population and quantify how the SP varies across the population as well as with galactocentric distance. We do this by measuring Lick indices and comparing them to SP synthesis models. This requires spectra with high signal-to-noise ratio which we achieve by stacking in bins of luminosity (Lr) and central velocity dispersion (σ0). We find that: (1) there is a bimodality in the S0 population: S0s more massive than $3\times 10^{10}\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$ show stronger velocity dispersion and age gradients (age and σr decrease outwards) but little or no metallicity gradient, while the less massive ones present relatively flat age and velocity dispersion profiles, but a significant metallicity gradient (i.e. [M/H] decreases outwards). Above $2\times 10^{11}\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$, the number of S0s drops sharply. These two mass scales are also where global scaling relations of ETGs change slope. (2) S0s have steeper velocity dispersion profiles than fast-rotating elliptical galaxies (E-FRs) of the same luminosity and velocity dispersion. The kinematic profiles and SP gradients of E-FRs are both more similar to those of slow-rotating ellipticals (E-SRs) than to S0s, suggesting that E-FRs are not simply S0s viewed face-on. (3) At fixed σ0, more luminous S0s and E-FRs are younger, more metal rich and less α-enhanced. Evidently for these galaxies, the usual statement that ‘massive galaxies are older’ is not true if σ0 is held fixed.

scholarly journals UVIT-HST-Gaia-VISTA study of KRON 3 in the Small Magellanic Cloud: A cluster with an extended red clump in UV

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
P K Nayak ◽  
A Subramaniam ◽  
S Subramanian ◽  
S Sahu ◽  
C Mondal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
Spectral Energy Distribution ◽  
Variable Mass ◽  
Intrinsic Property ◽  
Small Variation ◽  
Magellanic Cloud ◽  
Spectral Energy ◽  
Small Range ◽  
Small Magellanic Cloud ◽  
Red Clump

Abstract We have demonstrated the advantage of combining multi-wavelength observations, from the ultraviolet (UV) to near-infrared, to study Kron 3, a massive star cluster in the Small Magellanic Cloud. We have estimated the radius of the cluster Kron 3 to be 2${_{.}^{\prime}}$0 and for the first time, we report the identification of NUV-bright red clump (RC) stars and the extension of the RC in colour and magnitude in the NUV versus (NUV−optical) colour-magnitude diagram (CMD). We found that extension of the RC is an intrinsic property of the cluster and it is not due to contamination of field stars or differential reddening across the field. We studied the spectral energy distribution of the RC stars, and estimated a small range in temperature ∼5000–5500 K, luminosity ∼60–90 L⊙ and radius ∼8.0–11.0 R⊙ supporting their RC nature. The range of UV magnitudes amongst the RC stars (∼23.3 to 24.8 mag) is likely caused by the combined effects of variable mass loss, variation in initial helium abundance (Yini = 0.23 to 0.28), and a small variation in age (6.5-7.5 Gyr) and metallicity ([Fe/H] = −1.5 to −1.3). Spectroscopic follow-up observations of RC stars in Kron 3 are necessary to confirm the cause of the extended RC.

scholarly journals Extragalactic GCs in the near-infrared: genuinely old in E/S0's?

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (S262) ◽  
pp. 315-316
Author(s):  
Ana L. Chies-Santos ◽  
Søren S. Larsen
Keyword(s):  
Globular Cluster ◽  
Stellar Population ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Local Group ◽  
Stellar Populations ◽  
Age Dating ◽  
Early Type ◽  
Optical Photometry ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Optical Images

Globular cluster (GC) systems are powerful probes to study the evolutionary histories of galaxies, being tracers of major star fomation episodes (Brodie & Strader 2006). They are found around all major galaxies and are easy to see far beyond the local group. Age dating GCs therefore helps pinpoint epochs of major star forming events. Spectroscopic age dating though (Strader et al. 2005) is extremely time consuming and can only access the few brightest clusters. An alternative is to combine near-infrared (NIR) and optical photometry, and therefore have a better chance in lifting the age metallicity degeneracy than with optical colours alone. This approach relies in testing GC colours against simple stellar population (SSP) models. The first studies following this technique showed the possible existence of a high percentage of intermediate age (2-3 Gyrs) GCs in early-type galaxies known to contain old stellar populations from integrated light studies. Two strong cases can be listed: NGC 4365 (Puzia et al. 2002, Larsen et al. 2005) and NGC 5846 (Hempel et al. 2003). In the present study we combine NIR deep photometry obtained with the WHT/LIRIS instrument and archival HST/ACS optical images to determine g(F475W), z(F840LP) and K(2.2m) magnitudes and colours of GCs in 14 early-type galaxies.

scholarly journals A new distance to the Brick, the dense molecular cloud G0.253+0.016

2021 ◽  
Vol 502 (1) ◽  
pp. 1246-1252
Author(s):  
M Zoccali ◽  
E Valenti ◽  
F Surot ◽  
O A Gonzalez ◽  
A Renzini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Molecular Cloud ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Dynamical Evolution ◽  
Galactic Centre ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Centre Region ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Red Clump

ABSTRACT We analyse the near-infrared colour–magnitude diagram of a field including the giant molecular cloud G0.253+0.016 (a.k.a. The Brick) observed at high spatial resolution, with HAWK-I@VLT. The distribution of red clump stars in a line of sight crossing the cloud, compared with that in a direction just beside it, and not crossing it, allow us to measure the distance of the cloud from the Sun to be 7.20, with a statistical uncertainty of ±0.16 and a systematic error of ±0.20 kpc. This is significantly closer than what is generally assumed, i.e. that the cloud belongs to the near side of the central molecular zone, at 60 pc from the Galactic centre. This assumption was based on dynamical models of the central molecular zone, observationally constrained uniquely by the radial velocity of this and other clouds. Determining the true position of the Brick cloud is relevant because this is the densest cloud of the Galaxy not showing any ongoing star formation. This puts the cloud off by one order of magnitude from the Kennicutt–Schmidt relation between the density of the dense gas and the star formation rate. Several explanations have been proposed for this absence of star formation, most of them based on the dynamical evolution of this and other clouds, within the Galactic centre region. Our result emphasizes the need to include constraints coming from stellar observations in the interpretation of our Galaxy’s central molecular zone.

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