Thermodynamics of galaxy clusters in modified Newtonian potential

We study the thermodynamics of galaxy clusters in a modified Newtonian potential motivated by a general solution to Newton’s “sphere-point” equivalence theorem. We obtain the N particle partition function by evaluating the configurational integral while accounting for the extended nature of galaxies (via the inclusion of the softening parameter ε into the potential energy function). This softening parameter takes care of the galaxy-halos whose effect on structuring the shape of the galactic disc has been found recently. The spatial distribution of the particles (galaxies) is also studied in this framework. A comparison of the new clustering parameter b + to the original clustering parameters is presented in order to visualize the effect of the modified gravity. We also discuss the possibility of system symmetry breaking via the behavior of the specific heat as a function of temperature.

Galactic seismology: the evolving “phase spiral” after the Sagittarius dwarf impact

In 2018, the ESA Gaia satellite discovered a remarkable spiral pattern (“phase spiral”) in the z − Vz phase plane throughout the solar neighbourhood, where z and Vz are the displacement and velocity of a star perpendicular to the Galactic disc. In response to Binney & Schönrich’s analytic model of a disc-crossing satellite to explain the Gaia data, we carry out a high-resolution, N-body simulation (N ≈ 108 particles) of an impulsive mass (2 × 1010 M⊙) that interacts with a cold stellar disc at a single transit point. The disc response is complex since the impulse triggers a superposition of two distinct bisymmetric (m = 2) modes − a density wave and a corrugated bending wave − that wrap up at different rates. Stars in the faster density wave wrap up with time T according to φD(R, T) = (ΩD(R) + Ωo) T where φD describes the spiral pattern and ΩD = Ω(R) − κ(R)/2, where κ is the epicyclic frequency. While the pattern speed Ωo is small, it is non-zero. The slower bending wave wraps up according to ΩB ≈ ΩD/2 producing a corrugated wave. The bunching effect of the density wave triggers the phase spiral as it rolls up and down on the bending wave (“rollercoaster” model). The phase spiral emerges slowly about ΔT ≈ 400 Myr after impact. It appears to be a long-lived, disc-wide phenomenon that continues to evolve over most of the 2 Gyr simulation. Thus, given Sagittarius’ (Sgr) low total mass today (Mtot ∼ 3 × 108 M⊙ within 10 kpc diameter), we believe the phase spiral was excited by the disc-crossing dwarf some 1 − 2 Gyr before the recent transit. For this to be true, Sgr must be losing mass at 0.5-1 dex per orbit loop.

Microlensing predictions: Impact of Galactic disc dynamical models

Galactic model plays an important role in the microlensing field, not only for analyses of individual events but also for statistics of the ensemble of events. However, the Galactic models used in the field varies, and some are unrealistically simplified. Here we tested three Galactic disc dynamic models, the first is a simple standard model that was widely used in this field, whereas the other two consider the radial dependence of the velocity dispersion, and in the last model, the asymmetric drift. We found that for a typical lens mass ML = 0.5 M⊙, the two new dynamical models predict $\sim 16{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ or $\sim 5{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ less long-timescale events (e.g. microlensing timescale tE > 300 days) and $\sim 5{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ and $\sim 3.5{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ more short-timescale events (tE < 3 days) than the standard model. Moreover, the microlensing event rate as a function of Einstein radius θE or microlensing parallax πE also shows some model dependence (a few per cent). The two new models also have an impact on the total microlensing event rate. This result will also to some degree affect the Bayesian analysis of individual events, but overall, the impact is small. However, we still recommend that modelers should be more careful when choosing the Galactic model, especially in statistical works involving Bayesian analyses of a large number of events. Additionally, we find the asymptotic power-law behaviors in both θE and πE distributions, and we provide a simple model to understand them.

Dynamical evolution of massive perturbers in realistic multicomponent galaxy models I: implementation and validation

ABSTRACT Galaxies are self-gravitating structures composed by several components encompassing spherical, axial, and triaxial symmetry. Although real systems feature heterogeneous components whose properties are intimately connected, semi-analytical approaches often exploit the linearity of the Poisson’s equation to represent the potential and mass distribution of a multicomponent galaxy as the sum of the individual components. In this work, we expand the semi-analytical framework developed in Bonetti et al. (2020) by including both a detailed implementation of the gravitational potential of exponential disc (modelled with a sech2 and an exponential vertical profile) and an accurate prescription for the dynamical friction experienced by massive perturbers (MP) in composite galaxy models featuring rotating disc structures. Such improvements allow us to evolve arbitrary orbits either within or outside the galactic disc plane. We validate the results obtained by our numerical model against public semi-analytical codes as well as full N-body simulations, finding that our model is in excellent agreement to the codes it is compared with. The ability to reproduce the relevant physical processes responsible for the evolution of MP orbits and its computational efficiency make our framework perfectly suited for large parameter-space exploration studies.

Modelled 3D distribution of OH/IR stars in the Galactic disc

ABSTRACT We have modelled the 3D distribution of OH/IR stars in the Galactic plane, traced by 1612 MHz OH maser sources with classic double horned spectral profiles. We statistically analysed over 700 maser sources detected by the HI/OH/Recombination line survey of the Milky Way (THOR) and the Australia Telescope Compact Array interferometric follow-up observations of the Southern Parkes Large-Area Survey in Hydroxyl (SPLASH). With a simple model constructed from a classical density distribution of stars and luminosity functions of OH maser sources in the Galaxy, we estimate the scale height, or the half thickness of the OH/IR star distribution along the Galactic disc to be 90–290 pc. The simple model also implies that there are ∼4000 OH/IR stars hosting 1612 MHz OH masers along the Galactic Plane. Therefore, next generation telescopes such as the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) and SKA Phase 1 will detect about 80 per cent of such OH/IR stars in the Galaxy at a 10 mJy detection limit. Comparing the data of previously detected circumstellar 1612 MHz OH maser sources with those of THOR and SPLASH, the maser source lifetime is estimated to be ∼300 yr. This is likely a lower limit, since non-detections of masers in some cases could be affected by the flux variation of the maser source.