THE MASS DISTRIBUTION AND ASSEMBLY OF THE MILKY WAY FROM THE PROPERTIES OF THE MAGELLANIC CLOUDS
- Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Physics Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States)
- Astronomy Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003 (United States)
- Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States)
We present a new measurement of the mass of the Milky Way (MW) based on observed properties of its largest satellite galaxies, the Magellanic Clouds (MCs), and an assumed prior of a {Lambda}CDM universe. The large, high-resolution Bolshoi cosmological simulation of this universe provides a means to statistically sample the dynamical properties of bright satellite galaxies in a large population of dark matter halos. The observed properties of the MCs, including their circular velocity, distance from the center of the MW, and velocity within the MW halo, are used to evaluate the likelihood that a given halo would have each or all of these properties; the posterior probability distribution function (PDF) for any property of the MW system can thus be constructed. This method provides a constraint on the MW virial mass, 1.2{sup +0.7}{sub -0.4} (stat.){sup +0.3}{sub -0.3} (sys.) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 12} M{sub Sun} (68% confidence), which is consistent with recent determinations that involve very different assumptions. In addition, we calculate the posterior PDF for the density profile of the MW and its satellite accretion history. Although typical satellites of 10{sup 12} M{sub Sun} halos are accreted over a wide range of epochs over the last 10 Gyr, we find a {approx}72% probability that the MCs were accreted within the last Gyr, and a 50% probability that they were accreted together.
- OSTI ID:
- 22004548
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 743, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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