Bibcode
DOI
Butler, D. J.; Martínez-Delgado, D.; Rix, H.-W.; Peñarrubia, J.; de Jong, J. T. A.
Bibliographical reference
The Astronomical Journal, Volume 133, Issue 5, pp. 2274-2290.
Advertised on:
5
2007
Citations
28
Refereed citations
23
Description
We present the first results from a large-area
(~80deg×20deg), sparsely sampled, two-filter
(B and R) imaging survey toward the Canis Major stellar overdensity,
which is claimed to be a disrupting Milky Way satellite galaxy. Using
stellar color-magnitude diagrams reaching to B~22 mag, we provide a
first delineation of its surface density distribution using
main-sequence stars. It is located below the Galactic midplane, and can
be discerned to at least b=-15deg. Its projected shape is
highly elongated, nearly parallel to the Galactic plane, with an axis
ratio of at least 5:1, substantially more so than what Martin and
coworkers originally found. We also provide a first map of a prominent
overdensity of blue, presumably younger main-sequence stars, which
extends in latitude to b~-10deg. We estimate an upper limit
on the line-of-sight depth σlos of the old population
based on the main-sequence width, obtaining
σlos<1.8+/-0.3 kpc at an adopted
Dsolar=7.5+/-1 kpc. For the young stellar population, we find
σlos<1.5 kpc. The overall picture presented is one
of a young stellar population that is less extended, both in terms of
its line-of-sight depth and angular size, than the older population.
While the data provide no firm arguments against an out-of-plane spiral
arm interpretation, the data provide clear implications for others: (1)
We infer from the strong elongation of the overdensity in longitude, and
simulations in the literature, that the CMa overdensity is unlikely to
be a gravitationally bound system at the present epoch, but may well be
just a recently disrupted satellite remnant. The possible ``flattening''
of the young main-sequence population may, however, be a complexity for
the satellite origin. (2) Based on modeling, the line-of-sight depth of
the main-sequence overdensity in old stars is clearly inconsistent with
published locally axisymmetric descriptions of the warped Galactic disk,
such as those considered by Momany and coworkers. Without detailed
modeling, the data set itself does not allow a distinction between
interpretations as substructure in the warped outer Galactic disk or a
disrupted satellite.