Repository logo
 

A parametric description of the 3D structure of the Galactic bar/bulge using the VVV survey

Simple item page
cam.issuedOnline2017-07-20
dc.contributor.authorSimion, IT
dc.contributor.authorBelokurov, V
dc.contributor.authorIrwin, M
dc.contributor.authorKoposov, SE
dc.contributor.authorGonzalez-Fernandez, C
dc.contributor.authorRobin, AC
dc.contributor.authorShen, J
dc.contributor.authorLi, ZY
dc.contributor.orcidBelokurov, Vasily [0000-0002-0038-9584]
dc.contributor.orcidIrwin, Mike [0000-0002-2191-9038]
dc.date.accessioned2018-11-23T00:31:03Z
dc.date.available2018-11-23T00:31:03Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.description.abstract© 2017 The Authors. We study the structure of the inner Milky Way using the latest data release of the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) survey. The VVV is a deep near-infrared, multi-colour photometric survey with a coverage of 300 square degrees towards the bulge/bar. We use red clump (RC) stars to produce a high-resolution dust map of the VVV's field of view. From dereddened colour-magnitude diagrams, we select red giant branch stars to investigate their 3D density distribution within the central 4 kpc. We demonstrate that our best-fitting parametric model of the bulge density provides a good description of the VVV data, with a median percentage residual of 5 per cent over the fitted region. The strongest of the otherwise lowlevel residuals are overdensities associated with a low-latitude structure as well as the so-called X-shape previously identified using the split RC. These additional components contribute only ~5 per cent and ~7 per cent respectively to the bulge mass budget. The best-fitting bulge is 'boxy' with an axial ratio of [1:0.44:0.31] and is rotated with respect to the Sun-Galactic Centre line by at least 20°. We provide an estimate of the total, full sky, mass of the bulge of MbulgeChabrier= 2.36 × 1010M⊙for a Chabrier initial mass function. We show that there exists a strong degeneracy between the viewing angle and the dispersion of the RC absolute magnitude distribution. The value of the latter is strongly dependent on the assumptions made about the intrinsic luminosity function of the bulge.
dc.identifier.doi10.17863/CAM.33109
dc.identifier.eissn1365-2966
dc.identifier.issn0035-8711
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/285765
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherOxford University Press (OUP)
dc.publisher.urlhttps://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/471/4/4323/3980211#95521823
dc.subjectGalaxy: bulge
dc.subjectGalaxy: centre
dc.subjectGalaxy: formation
dc.subjectGalaxy: fundamental parameters
dc.subjectGalaxy: structure
dc.subjectgalaxies: individual: Milky Way
dc.titleA parametric description of the 3D structure of the Galactic bar/bulge using the VVV survey
dc.typeArticle
dcterms.dateAccepted2017-07-18
prism.endingPage4344
prism.issueIdentifier4
prism.publicationNameMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
prism.startingPage4323
prism.volume471
pubs.funder-project-idScience and Technology Facilities Council (ST/M007626/1)
pubs.funder-project-idScience and Technology Facilities Council (ST/N005805/1)
pubs.funder-project-idScience and Technology Facilities Council (ST/N000927/1)
pubs.funder-project-idScience and Technology Facilities Council (ST/N004493/1)
rioxxterms.licenseref.startdate2017-07-18
rioxxterms.licenseref.urihttp://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved
rioxxterms.typeJournal Article/Review
rioxxterms.versionAM
rioxxterms.versionofrecord10.1093/mnras/stx1832

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
1707.06660v1.pdf
Size:
14.16 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Accepted version
Licence
http://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
DepositLicenceAgreementv2.1.pdf
Size:
150.9 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download

Collections

Cambridge University Research Outputs