GD-1 Stellar Stream and Cocoon in the DESI Early Data Release

Valluri, M.; Fagrelius, P.; Koposov, S. E.; Li, T. S.; Gnedin, Oleg Y.; Bell, E. F.; Carlberg, R. G.; Cooper, A. P.; Aguilar, J.; Ahlen, S.; Allende Prieto, C.; Belokurov, V.; Beraldo e Silva, L.; Brooks, D.; Byström, A.; Claybaugh, T.; Dawson, K.; Dey, A.; Doel, P.; Forero-Romero, J. E.; Gaztañaga, E.; Gontcho A Gontcho, S.; Han, J.; Honscheid, K.; Kisner, T.; Kremin, A.; Lambert, A.; Landriau, M.; Le Guillou, L.; Levi, M. E.; de la Macorra, A.; Manera, M.; Martini, P.; Medina, G. E.; Meisner, A.; Miquel, R.; Moustakas, J.; Myers, A. D.; Najita, J.; Poppett, C.; Prada, F.; Rezaie, M.; Rossi, G.; Riley, A. H.; Sanchez, E.; Schlegel, D.; Schubnell, M.; Sprayberry, D.; Tarlé, G.; Thomas, G.; Weaver, B. A.; Wechsler, R. H.; Zhou, R.; Zou, H.
Bibliographical reference

The Astrophysical Journal

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2
2025
Number of authors
54
IAC number of authors
2
Citations
20
Refereed citations
10
Description
We present ∼115 new spectroscopically identified members of the GD-1 tidal stream observed with the 5000-fiber Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). We confirm the existence of a "cocoon," which is a broad (FWHM ∼ 2 932 ∼ 460 pc) and kinematically hot (velocity dispersion, σ ∼ 5–8 km s‑1) component that surrounds a narrower (FWHM ∼ 0 353 ∼ 55 pc) and colder [(σ = 3.09 ± 0.76 km s‑1)] thin stream component (based on a median per star velocity precision of 2.7 km s‑1). The cocoon extends over at least a 30∘ segment of the stream observed by DESI. The thin and cocoon components have similar mean values of [Fe/H]: ‑2.54 ± 0.04 dex and ‑2.47 ± 0.06 dex, suggestive of a common origin. The data are consistent with the following scenarios for the origin of the cocoon. The progenitor of the GD-1 stream was an accreted globular cluster (GC) and: (a) the cocoon was produced by pre-accretion tidal stripping of the GC while it was still inside its parent dwarf galaxy; (b) the cocoon comprises debris from the parent dwarf galaxy; (c) an initially thin GC tidal stream was heated by impacts from dark subhalos in the Milky Way; (d) an initially thin GC stream was heated by a massive Sagittarius dwarf galaxy; or a combination of some of these. Future DESI spectroscopy and detailed modeling may enable us to distinguish between these possible origins.
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