DETECTING TRIAXIALITY IN THE GALACTIC DARK MATTER HALO THROUGH STELLAR KINEMATICS

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 2012 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/757/2/L28· OSTI ID:22078518

Rojas-Nino, Armando; Valenzuela, Octavio; Pichardo, Barbara ^[1]

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1. Instituto de Astronomia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, A.P. 70-264, 04510, Mexico, D.F., Universitaria, D.F. (Mexico)

Assuming the dark matter halo of the Milky Way to be a non-spherical potential (i.e., triaxial, prolate, oblate), we show how the assembling process of the Milky Way halo may have left long-lasting stellar halo kinematic fossils due to the shape of the dark matter halo. In contrast with tidal streams, which are associated with recent satellite accretion events, these stellar kinematic groups will typically show inhomogeneous chemical and stellar population properties. However, they may be dominated by a single accretion event for certain mass assembling histories. If the detection of these peculiar kinematic stellar groups were confirmed, they would be the smoking gun for the predicted triaxiality of dark halos in cosmological galaxy formation scenarios.

• OSTI ID: 22078518
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Letters Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 757; ISSN 2041-8205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
DETECTION
MASS
MILKY WAY
NONLUMINOUS MATTER
POTENTIALS
SATELLITES