Bibcode
Brink, Thomas G.; Mateo, Mario; Martínez-Delgado, D.
Bibliographical reference
The Astronomical Journal, Volume 140, Issue 5, pp. 1337-1346 (2010).
Advertised on:
11
2010
Citations
9
Refereed citations
9
Description
We present multi-slit radial velocity measurements for 111 stars in the
direction of the Virgo Stellar Stream (VSS). The stars were
photometrically selected to be probable main-sequence stars in the
Galactic halo. When compared with the radial velocity distribution
expected for the halo of the Milky Way, as well as the distribution seen
in a control field, we observe a significant excess of negative velocity
stars in the field, which can likely be attributed to the presence of a
stellar stream. This kinematic excess peaks at a Galactic standard of
rest radial velocity of -75 km s-1. A rough distance estimate
suggests that this feature extends from ~15 kpc out to, and possibly
beyond, the ~30 kpc limit of the study. The mean velocity of these stars
is incompatible with those of the VSS itself (Vgsr ~ 130 km
s-1), which we weakly detect, but it is consistent with
radial velocity measurements of nearby 2MASS M-giants and SDSS+SEGUE
K/M-giants and blue horizontal branch stars that constitute the leading
tidal tail of the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy. Some oblate
models for the shape of the Milky Way's dark matter halo predict that
the leading arm of the Sagittarius Stream should pass through this
volume, and have highly negative (Vgsr <~ -200 km
s-1) radial velocities, as it descends down from the northern
Galactic hemisphere toward the Galactic plane. The kinematic feature
observed in this study, if it is in fact Sagittarius debris, is not
consistent with these predictions, and instead, like other leading
stream radial velocity measurements, is consistent with a recently
published triaxial halo model, or, if axisymmetry is imposed, favors a
prolate shape for the Galactic halo potential. However, a rough distance
estimate to the observed kinematic feature places it somewhat closer (D
~ 15-30 kpc) than the Sagittarius models predict (D ~ 35-45 kpc).
This paper includes data gathered with the 6.5 m Magellan Telescopes
located at Las Campanas Observatory, Chile.