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Mapping the Monoceros Ring in 3D with Pan-STARRS1

Morganson, E.; Conn, B.; Rix, H.-W.; Bell, E.F.; Burgett, W.S.; Chambers, K.; Dolphin, A.; Draper, P.W.; Flewelling, H.; Hodapp, K.; Kaiser, N.; Magnier, E.A.; Martin, N.F.; Martinez-Delgado, D.; Metcalfe, N.; Schlafly, E.F.; Slater, C.T.; Wainscoat, R.J.; Waters, C.Z.

Mapping the Monoceros Ring in 3D with Pan-STARRS1 Thumbnail


Authors

E. Morganson

B. Conn

H.-W. Rix

E.F. Bell

W.S. Burgett

K. Chambers

A. Dolphin

P.W. Draper

H. Flewelling

K. Hodapp

N. Kaiser

E.A. Magnier

N.F. Martin

D. Martinez-Delgado

E.F. Schlafly

C.T. Slater

R.J. Wainscoat

C.Z. Waters



Abstract

Using the Pan-STARRS1 survey, we derive limiting magnitude, spatial completeness, and density maps that we use to probe the three-dimensional structure and estimate the stellar mass of the so-called Monoceros Ring. The Monoceros Ring is an enormous and complex stellar sub-structure in the outer Milky Way disk. It is most visible across the large Galactic Anticenter region, $120^\circ \lt l\lt 240^\circ $, $-30^\circ \lt b\lt +40^\circ $. We estimate its stellar mass density profile along every line of sight in 2° × 2° pixels over the entire 30,000 deg2 Pan-STARRS1 survey using the previously developed match software. By parsing this distribution into a radially smooth component and the Monoceros Ring, we obtain its mass and distance from the Sun along each relevant line of sight. The Monoceros Ring is significantly closer to us in the south (6 kpc) than in the north (9 kpc). We also create 2D cross-sections parallel to the Galactic plane that show 135° of the Monoceros Ring in the south and 170° of the Monoceros Ring in the north. We show that the northern and southern structures are also roughly concentric circles, suggesting that they may be waves rippling from a common origin. Excluding the Galactic plane $\sim \pm 4^\circ $, we observe an excess mass of $4\times {10}^{6}{M}_{\odot }$ across $120^\circ \lt l\lt 240^\circ $. If we interpolate across the Galactic plane, we estimate that this region contains $8\times {10}^{6}{M}_{\odot }$. If we assume (somewhat boldly) that the Monoceros Ring is a set of two Galactocentric rings, its total mass is $6\times {10}^{7}{M}_{\odot }$. Finally, if we assume that it is a set of two circles centered at a point 4 kpc from the Galactic center in the anti-central direction, as our data suggests, we estimate its mass to be $4\times {10}^{7}{M}_{\odot }$.

Citation

Morganson, E., Conn, B., Rix, H., Bell, E., Burgett, W., Chambers, K., …Waters, C. (2016). Mapping the Monoceros Ring in 3D with Pan-STARRS1. Astrophysical Journal, 825(2), Article 140. https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637x/825/2/140

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Apr 22, 2016
Online Publication Date Jul 12, 2016
Publication Date Jul 12, 2016
Deposit Date Aug 18, 2016
Publicly Available Date Aug 23, 2016
Journal Astrophysical Journal
Print ISSN 0004-637X
Electronic ISSN 1538-4357
Publisher American Astronomical Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 825
Issue 2
Article Number 140
DOI https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637x/825/2/140

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Copyright Statement
© 2016. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.





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