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Register a new userWeighing the Galactic disk in sub-regions of the solar neighbourhood using Gaia DR2
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We infer the gravitational potential of the Galactic disk by analysing the phase-space densities of 120 stellar samples in 40 spatially separate sub-regions of the solar neighbourhood, using Gaias second data release (DR2), in order to quantify spatially dependent systematic effects that bias this type of measurement. The gravitational potential was inferred under the assumption of a steady state in the framework of a Bayesian hierarchical model. We performed a joint fit of our stellar tracers three-dimensional velocity distribution, while fully accounting for the astrometric uncertainties of all stars. The inferred gravitational potential is compared, post-inference, to a model for the baryonic matter and halo dark matter components. We see an unexpected but clear trend for all 40 spatially separate sub-regions: Compared to the potential derived from the baryonic model, the inferred gravitational potential is significantly steeper close to the Galactic mid-plane (<60 pc), but flattens such that the two agree well at greater distances (~400 pc). The inferred potential implies a total matter density distribution that is highly concentrated to the Galactic mid-plane and decays quickly with height. Apart from this, there are discrepancies between stellar samples, implying spatially dependent systematic effects which are, at least in part, explained by substructures in the phase-space distributions. In terms of the inferred matter density distribution, the very low matter density that is inferred at greater heights is inconsistent with the observed scale height and matter distribution of the stellar disk, which cannot be explained by a misunderstood density of cold gas or other hidden mass. Our interpretation is that these results must be biased by a time-varying phase-space structure, possibly a breathing mode, that is large enough to affect all stellar samples in the same manner.
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We study the three dimensional arrangement of young stars in the solar neighbourhood using the second release of the Gaia mission (Gaia DR2) and we provide a new, original view of the spatial configuration of the star forming regions within 500 pc from the Sun. By smoothing the star distribution through a gaussian filter, we construct three dimensional density maps for early-type stars (upper-main sequence, UMS) and pre-main sequence (PMS) sources. The PMS and the UMS samples are selected through a combination of photometric and astrometric criteria. A side product of the analysis is a three dimensional, G-band extinction map, which we use to correct our colour-magnitude diagram for extinction and reddening. Both density maps show three prominent structures, Scorpius-Centaurus, Orion, and Vela. The PMS map shows a plethora of lower mass star forming regions, such as Taurus, Perseus, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, and Lacerta, which are less visible in the UMS map, due to the lack of large numbers of bright, early-type stars. We report the finding of a candidate new open cluster towards $l, b sim 218.5^{circ}, -2^{circ}$, which could be related to the Orion star forming complex. We estimate ages for the PMS sample and we study the distribution of PMS stars as a function of their age. We find that younger stars cluster in dense, compact clumps, and are surrounded by older sources, whose distribution is instead more diffuse. The youngest groups that we find are mainly located in Scorpius-Centaurus, Orion, Vela, and Taurus. Cepheus, Cassiopeia, and Lacerta are instead more evolved and less numerous. Finally, we find that the three dimensional density maps show no evidence for the existence of the ring-like structure which is usually referred to as the Gould Belt.
Using data from the GALAH pilot survey, we determine properties of the Galactic thin and thick disks near the solar neighbourhood. The data cover a small range of Galactocentric radius ($7.9 leq R_mathrm{GC} leq 9.5$ kpc), but extend up to 4 kpc in height from the Galactic plane, and several kpc in the direction of Galactic anti-rotation (at longitude $260 ^circ leq ell leq 280^circ$). This allows us to reliably measure the vertical density and abundance profiles of the chemically and kinematically defined `thick and `thin disks of the Galaxy. The thin disk (low-$alpha$ population) exhibits a steep negative vertical metallicity gradient, at d[M/H]/d$z=-0.18 pm 0.01$ dex kpc$^{-1}$, which is broadly consistent with previous studies. In contrast, its vertical $alpha$-abundance profile is almost flat, with a gradient of d[$alpha$/M]/d$z$ = $0.008 pm 0.002$ dex kpc$^{-1}$. The steep vertical metallicity gradient of the low-$alpha$ population is in agreement with models where radial migration has a major role in the evolution of the thin disk. The thick disk (high-$alpha$ population) has a weaker vertical metallicity gradient d[M/H]/d$z = -0.058 pm 0.003$ dex kpc$^{-1}$. The $alpha$-abundance of the thick disk is nearly constant with height, d[$alpha$/M]/d$z$ = $0.007 pm 0.002$ dex kpc$^{-1}$. The negative gradient in metallicity and the small gradient in [$alpha$/M] indicate that the high-$alpha$ population experienced a settling phase, but also formed prior to the onset of major SNIa enrichment. We explore the implications of the distinct $alpha$-enrichments and narrow [$alpha$/M] range of the sub-populations in the context of thick disk formation.
We find that the combined LF of N- and SC-type stars are consistent with a Gaussian distribution peaking at M_bol~ -5.2 mag. The resulting LF however shows two tails at lower and higher luminosities more extended than those previously found, indicating that AGB carbon stars with Solar metallicity may reach M_bol~-6.0 mag. We find that J-type stars are about half a magnitude fainter on average than N- and SC-type stars, while R-hot stars are half a magnitude brighter than previously found. The Galactic spatial distribution and velocity components of the N-, SC- and J-type stars are very similar, while about 30 % of the R-hot stars in the sample are located at distances larger than ~ 500 pc from the Galactic Plane, and show a significant drift with respect to the local standard of rest. The LF derived for N- and SC-type in the Solar neighbourhood fully agrees with the expected luminosity of stars of 1.5-3 M_o on the AGB. On a theoretical basis, the existence of an extended low luminosity tail would require a contribution of extrinsic low mass carbon stars, while the high luminosity one would imply that stars with mass up to ~5 Mo may become carbon star on the AGB. J-type stars not only differ significantly in their chemical composition with respect to the N- and SC-types but also in their LF, which reinforces the idea that these carbon stars belong to a dvifferent type whose origin is still unknown. The derived luminosities of R-hot stars make these stars unlikely to be in the red-clump as previously claimed. On the other hand, the derived spatial distribution and kinematic properties, together with their metallicity, indicate that most of the N-, SC- and J-type stars belong to the thin disc population, while a significant fraction of R-hot stars show characteristics compatible with the thick disc.
Using the method that was developed in the first paper of this series, we measure the vertical gravitational potential of the Galactic disk from the time-varying structure of the phase-space spiral, using data from Gaia as well as supplementary radial velocity information from legacy spectroscopic surveys. For eleven independent data samples, we inferred gravitational potentials that were in good agreement, despite the data samples varied and substantial selection effects. Using a model for the baryonic matter densities, we inferred a local halo dark matter density of $0.0085 pm 0.0039$ M$_odot$/pc$^3 = 0.32 pm 0.15$ GeV/cm$^3$. We were also able to place the most stringent constraint to the surface density of a thin dark disk with a scale height $leq 50$ pc: an upper 95 % confidence limit of roughly 5 M$_odot$/pc$^2$ (compared to previous limit of roughly 10 M$_odot$/pc$^2$, given the same scale height). For the inferred halo dark matter density and thin dark disk surface density, the uncertainties are dominated by the baryonic model. With this level of precision, our method is highly competitive with traditional methods that rely on the assumption of a steady state. In a general sense, this illustrates that time-varying dynamical structures are not solely obstacles to dynamical mass measurements, but can also be regarded as assets containing useful information.
Using Gaia DR2 astrometry, we map the kinematic signature of the Galactic stellar warp out to a distance of 7 kpc from the Sun. Combining Gaia DR2 and 2MASS photometry, we identify, via a probabilistic approach, 599 494 upper main sequence stars and 12 616 068 giants without the need for individual extinction estimates. The spatial distribution of the upper main sequence stars clearly shows segments of the nearest spiral arms. The large-scale kinematics of both the upper main sequence and giant populations show a clear signature of the warp of the Milky Way, apparent as a gradient of 5-6 km/s in the vertical velocities from 8 to 14 kpc in Galactic radius. The presence of the signal in both samples, which have different typical ages, suggests that the warp is a gravitationally induced phenomenon.
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