The pattern speed of the Milky Way bar from transverse velocities
Abstract
ABSTRACT We use the continuity equation to derive a method for measuring the pattern speed of the Milky Way’s bar/bulge from proper motion data. The method has minimal assumptions but requires complete coverage of the non-axisymmetric component in two of the three Galactic coordinates. We apply our method to the proper motion data from a combination of Gaia DR2 and VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) to measure the pattern speed of the bar as $$\Omega _\mathrm{p}=(41\pm 3)\, \mathrm{km\, s^{-1}\, kpc^{-1}}$$ (where the error is statistical). This puts the corotation radius at $$(5.7\pm 0.4)\, \mathrm{kpc}$$, under the assumptions of the standard peculiar motion of the Sun and the absence of non-axisymmetric streaming in the Solar neighbourhood. The obtained result uses only data on the near side of the bar which produces consistent measurements of the distance and velocity of the centre of the Galaxy. Addition of the data on the far side of the bar pulls the pattern speed down to $$\Omega _\mathrm{p}=(31\pm 1)\, \mathrm{km\, s^{-1}\, kpc^{-1}}$$ but requires a lower transverse velocity for the Galactic centre than observed. This suggests systematics of $$5-10\, \mathrm{km\, s^{-1}kpc^{-1}}$$ dominate the uncertainty. We demonstrate using a dynamically formed bar/bulge simulation that even with the limited field of view of the VVV survey our method robustly recovers the pattern speed.
- Authors:
-
[1];
- Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Rd, Cambridge CB3 0HA, UK
- Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Rd, Cambridge CB3 0HA, UK, School of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield AL10 9AB, UK
- Publication Date:
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1556187
- Resource Type:
- Published Article
- Journal Name:
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Journal Volume: 488 Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 0035-8711
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Language:
- English
Citation Formats
Sanders, Jason L., Smith, Leigh, and Evans, N. Wyn. The pattern speed of the Milky Way bar from transverse velocities. United Kingdom: N. p., 2019.
Web. doi:10.1093/mnras/stz1827.
Sanders, Jason L., Smith, Leigh, & Evans, N. Wyn. The pattern speed of the Milky Way bar from transverse velocities. United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz1827
Sanders, Jason L., Smith, Leigh, and Evans, N. Wyn. Wed .
"The pattern speed of the Milky Way bar from transverse velocities". United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz1827.
@article{osti_1556187,
title = {The pattern speed of the Milky Way bar from transverse velocities},
author = {Sanders, Jason L. and Smith, Leigh and Evans, N. Wyn},
abstractNote = {ABSTRACT We use the continuity equation to derive a method for measuring the pattern speed of the Milky Way’s bar/bulge from proper motion data. The method has minimal assumptions but requires complete coverage of the non-axisymmetric component in two of the three Galactic coordinates. We apply our method to the proper motion data from a combination of Gaia DR2 and VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) to measure the pattern speed of the bar as $\Omega _\mathrm{p}=(41\pm 3)\, \mathrm{km\, s^{-1}\, kpc^{-1}}$ (where the error is statistical). This puts the corotation radius at $(5.7\pm 0.4)\, \mathrm{kpc}$, under the assumptions of the standard peculiar motion of the Sun and the absence of non-axisymmetric streaming in the Solar neighbourhood. The obtained result uses only data on the near side of the bar which produces consistent measurements of the distance and velocity of the centre of the Galaxy. Addition of the data on the far side of the bar pulls the pattern speed down to $\Omega _\mathrm{p}=(31\pm 1)\, \mathrm{km\, s^{-1}\, kpc^{-1}}$ but requires a lower transverse velocity for the Galactic centre than observed. This suggests systematics of $5-10\, \mathrm{km\, s^{-1}kpc^{-1}}$ dominate the uncertainty. We demonstrate using a dynamically formed bar/bulge simulation that even with the limited field of view of the VVV survey our method robustly recovers the pattern speed.},
doi = {10.1093/mnras/stz1827},
journal = {Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society},
number = 4,
volume = 488,
place = {United Kingdom},
year = {2019},
month = {7}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz1827
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