Bibcode
López-Corredoira, M.
Bibliographical reference
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 563, id.A128, 9 pp.
Advertised on:
3
2014
Journal
Citations
31
Refereed citations
31
Description
Aims: We derive the stellar rotation curve of the Galaxy in the
range of Galactocentric radii of R = 4-16 kpc at different vertical
heights from the Galactic plane of z between -2 and +2 kpc. With this we
reach high Galactocentric distances in which the kinematics is poorly
known due mainly to uncertainties in the distances to the sources. Methods: We used the PPMXL survey, which contains the USNO-B1 proper
motions catalog cross-correlated with the astrometry and near-infrared
photometry of the 2MASS Point Source Catalog. To improve the accuracy of
the proper motions, we calculated the average proper motions of quasars
to know their systematic shift from zero in this PPMXL survey, and we
applied the corresponding correction to the proper motions of the whole
survey, which reduces the systematic error. We selected from the
color-magnitude diagram K vs. (J - K) the standard candles corresponding
to red clump giants and used the information of their proper motions to
build a map of the rotation speed of our Galaxy. Results: We
obtain an almost flat rotation curve with a slight decrease for higher
values of R or |z|. The most puzzling result is obtained for the
farthest removed and most off-plane regions, that is, at R ≈ 16 kpc
and |z| ≈ 2 kpc, where a significant deviation from a null average
proper motion (~4 mas/yr) in the Galactic longitude direction for the
anticenter regions can be directly translated into a rotation speed much
lower than at the solar Galactocentric radius. In particular, we obtain
an average speed of 82 ± 5(stat.) ± 58(syst.) km
s-1 (assuming a solar Galactocentric distance of 8 kpc, and a
circular/azimuthal velocity of 250 km s-1 for the Sun and of
238 km s-1 for the Local Standard of Rest), where the high
systematic error bar is due mainly to the highest possible contamination
of non-red clump giants and the proper motion systematic uncertainty.
Conclusions: A scenario with a rotation speed lower than 150 km
s-1 in these farthest removed and most off-plane regions of
our explored zone is intriguing, and invites one to reconsider different
possibilities for the dark matter distribution. However, given the high
systematic errors, we cannot conclude about this. Hence, more
measurements of the proper motions at high R and |z| are necessary to
validate the exotic scenario that would arise if this low speed were
confirmed.
Related projects
Morphology and dynamics of the Milky Way
This project consists of two parts, each differentiated but both complementary: morphology and dynamics. Detailed study of the morphology of the Milky Way pretends to provide a data base for the stellar distribution in the most remote and heavily obscured regions of our Galaxy, through the development of semiempirical models based on the
Martín
López Corredoira