THE OPTICAL GRAVITATIONAL LENSING EXPERIMENT: ANALYSIS OF THE BULGE RR LYRAE POPULATION FROM THE OGLE-III DATA
- Warsaw University Observatory, Al. Ujazdowskie 4, 00-478 Warszawa (Poland)
- Department of Astronomy, Ohio State University, 140 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States)
We have analyzed the data on 16,836 RR Lyrae (RR Lyr) variables observed toward the Galactic bulge during the third phase of the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE-III), which took place in 2001-2009. Using these standard candles, we show that the ratio of total-to-selective extinction toward the bulge is given by R{sub I} = A{sub I} /E(V - I) = 1.080 {+-} 0.007 and is independent of color. We demonstrate that the bulge RR Lyr stars form a metal-uniform population, slightly elongated in its inner part. The photometrically derived metallicity distribution is sharply peaked at [Fe/H] = -1.02 {+-} 0.18, with a dispersion of 0.25 dex. In the inner regions (|l| < 3 Degree-Sign , |b| < 4 Degree-Sign ) the RR Lyr tend to follow the barred distribution of the bulge red clump giants. The distance to the Milky Way center inferred from the bulge RR Lyr is R{sub 0} = 8.54 {+-} 0.42 kpc. We report a break in the mean density distribution at a distance of {approx}0.5 kpc from the center indicating its likely flattening. Using the OGLE-III data, we assess that (4-7) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 4} type ab RR Lyr variables should be detected toward the bulge area of the ongoing near-IR VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) survey, where the uncertainty partially results from the unknown RR Lyr spatial density distribution within 0.2 kpc from the Galactic center.
- OSTI ID:
- 22034473
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 750, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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